Valued Bonds
by Rainbowkittyblossomwings
Summary: More Peach Summer Snow, or better known as the top team in the biggest spy agency in the country. Natsumi and her band of girls have been enlisted to fight and catch an elusive super-villain, despite being relatively new at the job she knows she can do it. After all this kind of adventure is what she lives for, and she has her friends to help her. Spy AU. All human cast.
1. Promotion

**Disclaimer: I do not own sgt frog.**

 **Okay...I know I had a whole bunch of ideas at the end of Memory Sea and all, but uhhh...I started a spy AU instead, because idk my English teacher looks like a few characters from spy Kids, so I had to rewatch all the spy kids movies to confirm this and yeah...A Spy Au happened.**

 **But then I realized I never grew up with spy movies, and do not know spy related things so this is probably more of a superhero AU? My bad. Oops.**

 **Anyway, although the main characters are the four girls, Natsumi, Mois, Koyuki and to a lesser extent Momoka (sorry Momoka) this is also going to be really Gironatsu and Kurumois cuz it's me. They're main characters too, I just didn't have room to say that. Along with the fact that Keroro is also technically pretty main character-y in this fic.**

 **I hope you enjoy this fic.**

* * *

 _Come on, deep breath. You can do this._ Natsumi peeked around the corner. Was the target in sight? Had she been sighted?

There was nothing in view except the darkness of the night sky. Natsumi was a little relieved. It wasn't like this was her first mission, she had been working as a spy for the agency for about two years now, but this was a mission of the utmost importance. It would decide the fate of her team and who would get the desired leadership position.

"Target lost while pursuing. He slipped away into the shadows." Natsumi's radio switched on as she heard a familiar voice of her friend and teammate, Angol Mois.

"That's all right. We can catch him, More." Natsumi responded, using her teammates's codename. They weren't allowed to use their real names on missions so they all called each other by their codename. Her own name was Summer, a name she was quite fond of. "You're not as skilled in pursuits as Snow, so it's not your fault."

"I still feel a bit bad though. You could say, not my strong suit?" Mois responded with one of her classic lines. Natsumi rolled her eyes.

"Peach, Snow. How are you doing? Spotted the target yet?" Natsumi asked the other two members of their four-person team.

"Using my own abilities? No. If we wanted a quick and easy catch, though, I could always ask for some satellite images from NPG..." Momoka reminded.

"No. We can't let NPG be seen as having ties with spies. And we have to prove ourselves," Natsumi reminded. The four of them usually worked as a team - a super team, even. They were a team renowned in their Agency for their superb teamwork and success rate with missions. Even the public knew about MORE PEACH SUMMER SNOW, oblivious about spies but seeing Natsumi's crew as more of superheroes. They were the face of the Agency, and something the whole country was proud of. However, they had split up in pursuit of their latest foe, due to trying to prove their individual abilities, each of them wanting to become the squad leader. In hindsight it was a bad move, since they had now lost the enemy spy who had entered their country. "Snow? Did you lose him too?"

"No. I'm over at West Avenue street. He thinks he's shaken the three of you, but he still hasn't shaken me. I'm not attacking though, I don't think I could take him alone. He looks like a big bruiser of a guy, twice my muscle mass." Koyuki was always the best at pursuit and Natsumi felt herself grinning that not only had Koyuki located the target, but that she was calling them for help.

"We can't just do a free for all like last time, guys. We need a plan," Natsumi whispered into the radio. "We cannot let this guy get away. As the Agency told us, he has valuable government secrets that he could use to blackmail our government."

"What do you suggest, then?" asked Mois.

Natsumi had never given orders before. She hadn't planned a strike. Usually it was mission control that told them exactly where to be and what to do. But sometimes she modified the plans to just work better. She took a deep breath and almost instantly had a plan. "Snow will continue pursuit. When we get there at 5 till midnight, Peach will appear in front of him. You still have that arm cannon, right, Peach?"

"Yeah. Newly developed weapon of NPG. Something they gave just me. Don't worry - the public shouldn't be able to see the ties between this weapon and my company," she bragged.

"The blast should send him either to the left or the right. More and I will be hiding on either side of him. More, if he heads off to you, I want you to do the same exact thing. Plant those small tiny non-fatal explosives in the ground and send him flying toward me."

Mois was an expert with explosives. On the other end, however, she didn't sound too pleased that they were her non-fatal variety. They were the small ones that sparked like fireworks.

Natsumi continued planning. "I'll appear to be fighting him and Snow will bind him with rope from the back as I distract him. Snow and I will keep him down while More and Peach make sure he doesn't have allies and take down his communication. I'll intimidate. Okay?"

"Seems like a plan," they all agreed. It was the best they had, after all.

* * *

The target - a bulky spy from another country - stood under a street light, waiting for a bus.

"You didn't think you'd make it out of here without any problems, did you?" Momoka appeared before him, dressed in her spy uniform, a skintight spandex blue suit and a small ribbon-mask covering her eyes.

"Crap! It's one of you guys! More Peach Summer Snow! You must be... More, right?" The spy didn't know what color corresponded to each one.

Momoka pulled out her arm cannon. "MY NAME IS FREAKIN PEACH!" she yelled in anger. Just because she wasn't pink, everyone got it confused. She blasted at him, sending him flying.

He steered toward the left, but Mois's explosives were planted in the ground. He screamed as small lights started dancing beneath his feet and he ran in the other direction.

"This is going to be fun." Natsumi cracked her knuckles and punched him in the face. The man screamed as his legs were bound together by a rope thrown at him by Koyuki.

He just screamed and shivered as all four girls cornered him. "Did you check to see if he had an allies? Ways to communicate with others?"

Momoka shook her head. "No satellites watching him."

"Cell phone is now broken." Mois pulled a phone out of his pocket and cracked it in her hands. "There seemed to be no others nearby."

"Then we're done," Natsumi smiled. "Good job!" They all fist-bumped each other and smiled. The mission was finally done. Now they just needed to see what headquarters thought.

* * *

Mission control, of course, cleaned up their messes and dragged the guy back.

"An hour late of what was expected. Geez, Natsumi, maybe tone down the competitiveness? It wasn't just _this mission_ that we took into account, after all," Keroro teased, exasperated.

Natsumi growled and made a face at him. Keroro may have been directly their boss, heading mission control, but the two of them always argued and butted heads. He called her violent and unpredictable, while she called him stupid frog because of how prone he was to wear frog hats to work.

"But we finished the mission! And there were no casualties," Mois pointed out, sticking up for Natsumi.

"Not this time, at least," Koyuki teased her.

Mois smiled and nudged her arm. "Hey, last time was your fault too!"

"I only poisoned the CEO! You crumbled the building," Koyuki pointed out. Mois giggled.

"Guys, guys, stop fighting." Keroro frowned. "That... That was a big mistake that we've agreed not to talk about."

Natsumi raised an eyebrow. Things at work were weird.

"Anyway, I wanted you guys to get out of uniform and back into your civilian attire. We'll announce who will be leader afterward. Don't worry, you all did a good job, though. The agency is impressed by your work. I mean, why wouldn't we be? You're our top team!" Keroro praised.

Natsumi couldn't help but grin. Top spy team. That wasn't something she could have predicted.

"Nice job! I'm proud to work with you," Saburo complimented, listening in and winking at Natsumi. Natsumi felt her knees grow weak.

 _Saburo, one of the top agents saw our performance? And he's complimenting our team? Amazing!_ He was older than her, like a spy upperclassmen. He was perfect at what he did, and hot to boot! It was no secret to anybody that she had a big crush on him.

She giggled as Koyuki dragged her to the locker rooms.

* * *

Natsumi pulled off the ribbon from her face and squirmed out of her pink uniform. She was glad their target was still in good shape - as in, it could speak. Sometimes she hit so hard that she dislocated jaws. But she wasn't a fan of that sort of work. She was a hero, after all, along with the Agency. They protected the populace in silence.

Sometimes she didn't get reasons for why the agency needed tasks done, but she didn't question them. She trusted them.

"So who do you think will become our team's leader?" Mois asked as she folded up her gloves carefully. She always did things so precisely. So neat, so careful. Nobody would guess she was a master at making and detonating explosives just by looking at her.

Natsumi frowned. She didn't really want to talk to her friends about this. The jealousy and competitiveness had already gone to their heads once, and she was pretty sure they all kind of wanted the position. "Well, I mean... Koyuki's been here the longest. She's the spy with the most experience; I mean, you've been here as long as you can remember! Weren't you pretty much adopted by this place since birth?" Natsumi tried to be modest, despite her desire for the position.

Koyuki smiled. "Thanks. But just because I have experience doesn't mean I'm qualified to lead. I wouldn't be surprised if Keroro enlisted himself in our group as, like, a fifth member and took over!"

"Don't even joke about that," Natsumi deadpanned, shivering. "I do not want to hang out with him more than necessary."

The four girls laughed.

"I honestly think it should be me that gets the position." Momoka, however, was not modest. "Because of my job outside of this life, I have to be good with leadership. I'm a heiress of the biggest empire in the world, after all! Not only that, but the Nishizawas pretty much own this place. We supply soldiers, guards, training and funding!" She made a fair point. "It only makes sense that I would be the leader."

"That might be a little bit stressful, though." Mois pointed out. "Natsumi and I only have to deal with school for our secret identities, but you have an entire financial and political empire to deal with."

Momoka nodded - another fair point. "So you think you could do it then, Mois? Be More Peach Summer Snow's leader?"

"No. I'm no good with giving orders on the field. If I was in mission control, maybe... but not on the field," she admitted.

"You just want an excuse to be in mission control to be with Keroro," Momoka teased. Mois talked about Keroro almost constantly lately. It was weird, like her obsession with him had sprung up overnight. Natsumi wanted to say she wouldn't judge a friend's taste in guy's, but... She totally judged.

Mois didn't answer.

"Well then, it's between me and Koyuki for most skilled in this position? Since Natsumi's only been a spy for two years and is far less experienced," Momoka reminded them.

Natsumi frowned. It was true. She hadn't known about the spy thing for very long, but she considered herself a good candidate for the position.

"No matter what happens, I don't think we should fight about what they decide. It's all in our best interest, right?" Koyuki hugged Natsumi and Momoka closer to her. They both sighed.

"Agreed," they both said. It wasn't in their hands, so they wouldn't fight about it.

* * *

The four girls sat in front of most of mission control as Keroro got dramatically onto a stage to reveal who would be the leader.

"All right, squad More Peach Summer Snow, the three heads of the agency and I have discussed who would be best suited for the role of leader and we have decided... Drum roll, please," Keroro requested.

Natsumi rolled her eyes, but to her surprise Saburo obliged with a drumroll as he listened in.

"Natsumi Hinata! Her leadership skills and looking out for her teammates always has impressed headquarters! Congratulations!" Keroro announced.

Natsumi gasped for a moment. Her? Leader of More Peach Summer Snow? She knew the words felt right, but she didn't have as much experience as the rest. She could feel Momoka glaring at her with jealousy.

She could feel clapping all around her - her bosses, Nishizawa guards, Keroro, her friends, and even Saburo. Her mom smiled as she cheered for her daughter. She was proud of what she had accomplished. She would have never expected this to happen in her life. She was now the leader of the team that was the face of the agency. Everyone in the country knew about them. And now they'd know that Summer lead them.

And she couldn't be more happy.

* * *

It had been two years ago that she had learned her mother was a spy. There was always something suspicious about the long hours Aki worked. How she might not see her mom for months at a time. How their father had mysteriously disappeared without question. How her mother seemed too tough to be a manga editor.

Fuyuki, of course, never questioned it when she brought it up. "I'm too busy looking into the possibility of aliens. I'm not into the whole 'mom conspiracy' thing," he'd tell her, too oblivious about things happening around him to look at more important things than aliens. Natsumi just shook her head at her little brother.

Eventually, though, Natsumi discovered the checks that came in for her mother. And through skipping school and following her to work one day, she discovered that her mother was a spy. She smiled, ready to accuse her mother and beg her to take her into the family business.

Her mother of course, although a super spy, was still Natsumi's mother. When Natsumi accused her and told her how she found out and begged Aki to take her with her on missions, Aki refused. "No way, missy! It's way too dangerous. I want you to focus on your grades and getting into college. I mean, you may be right. I may be a spy for the government. Your father might have been killed in duty, but that doesn't mean I'm not your mom. And you're not ready yet to be brought into the family business."

Natsumi frowned in disappointment. She wouldn't take no for an answer. "I'm strong, Mom!" She paused, thinking for a moment. "And I can prove it. I'll fight you... and if I win, you have to let me be a spy. If I can beat a skilled spy then I have to have talent. If I lose, I'll focus on school."

Aki smiled. A competition was always something she was willing to do. "All right, Natsumi. Let's do this." She got into her fighting stance and smiled at her daughter. Natsumi was going to get her butt kicked.

But she didn't. Natsumi won. And Aki was forced to acknowledge her daughter's strength and let her into the industry. She couldn't be more proud.

* * *

Natsumi was still proud of all that she had accomplished in two years. She was truly her mother's daughter. Aki always told her that she and Akina had been the same way, and it was a gift that went down her family line.

However, as she packed up her things to go home, she still felt a bitterness gnaw at her belly. She knew Momoka was mad at her for being picked the leader, but was Koyuki? Koyuki really did deserve it more than any of them.

"Hey, Koyuki..." Natsumi nudged her best friend before leaving the Agency. Koyuki stayed the nights at the agency, since it was her home. "Are... Are you jealous about me being chosen as the leader?"

Koyuki looked a bit shocked that Natsumi was asking her. She put up her hands and shook her head. "No! Not at all! I'm just as proud of you as everybody else!" Koyuki hugged her. "After all, I'm your best friend. And I'll always support you."

"But... you're a more talented spy than me. You've got the stealth thing down. You've trained harder," she pointed out.

Koyuki only smiled. "Yeah, but I'm not leadership in the least bit! I'm better at working on my own, or doing what I'm told. I'm a follower so I'm pretty happy about this decision," she reassured her. "Admittedly, I was a little on edge about being put into a team when you first came around, I had always done solo work before and worked best on my own, but I didn't realize how amazing it was to have friends. It's truly an honor fighting with you."

Natsumi breathed a sigh of relief. Koyuki's voice sounded honest and chipper. It meant she really didn't hold anything against her. She hugged her friend tightly before leaving.

She really could go home happy.

* * *

The office was dark as Keroro cleaned everything up. Work was over for the day.

"It's truly an odd turn of events Natsumi being chosen as the team leader, huh?" Saburo asked him. "We - I mean - none of the Agency ever thought she'd be a spy."

"I know. We had been training and putting obstacles out for Fuyuki. We thought he'd be the prodigal son that would someday join the Agency. The three heads themselves thought he'd be something special, since he looks the most like her. They thought he'd inherit her talent," said Keroro.

"Is there still a chance he'll join? When his sister joined, he was brought in and we begged him to join up. We gave him a tour and everything. But he just... doesn't seem to care." Saburo seemed a little annoyed. "But his likeness to Aki really is phenomenal! He could still be the sort of super spy the agency is looking for."

Keroro shrugged. "Dreams change. And the idea of prodigy is kind of weird. Nobody knows who will be the thing the agency needs."

Saburo laughed. "You were prodigy too, though! Also a super spy, unlike me, who's just a normal agent."

"I'm not a spy. I'm just in charge of mission control," Keroro reminded.

Saburo nodded. "You're training to take over the agency, though. Everybody knows you're the next in line to take over this entire thing. That's huge."

Keroro was silent. "Dreams change. Don't pressure Fuyuki." He just tried to keep the conversation back on track. "Natsumi is what we need. Even if we didn't know it."

Saburo just nodded. "Whatever."

* * *

 **Please review! I'm sorry if the chapter seemed wonky or weird compared to my other stories. I've been taking an english class at college and the teachers pretty mean. (Publicly humiliating students and all because he finds them boring or they 'sound like a stoner') and I'm a bit worried it's souring me on writing.**

 **Also, everybody is human in this AU. So Keroro is in a more humanoid form.**


	2. Transfer

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

 **Yeah...Remember when this was a spy AU/ superhero au also because I barely know a thing about spies?**

 **It now is a high school AU also. Because...That just kind of happened.**

 **Apologies.**

 **Also, sorry about the bad title of this fic!**

* * *

Squad leader - a big duty. Natsumi had to make sure her teammates did their best, lived up to their fullest potential, and were the happiest, most secure, and safest they could be.

And at the moment, she had already failed her task. Her teammates were not happy. Well, at least Momoka wasn't. It had been nearly a week and Momoka was still taking in the fact that she, despite all the work she had put in, hadn't been given the position as leader. Natsumi knew that the two of them were still friends, but she also knew that Momoka had really wanted that position. She felt like she deserved it.

 _What can I do for her?_ Natsumi wondered. If things continued like this her relationship with Momoka might be in jeopardy. That was too risky. She was close to Momoka, but not that close. Not nearly as close as she was to Koyuki and Angol Mois.

Momoka had always had the weakest relationship with any of the three girls. They all loved each other like sisters, but Momoka was prone to getting distracted by - strangely enough - Natsumi's own brother. Her priorities were very clear.

 _That's it. I just need to strengthen our bond! That way this will just be brushed to the side._ She could strengthen Momoka's bond with her and Mois easily. And as squad leader, she know had the power to do so.

* * *

"You want me to what?!" Momoka was shocked as Natsumi held her hand excitedly and shared her plan.

"Transfer to my school! It's a good idea. Me, you, and Mois could have an excuse to hang out in public while we're civilians! Nothing would be suspicious about it, and we could plan for missions while at school, while we're doing our double-identity thing... A super spy like us needs to perfect the double-identity thing! It's in the spy manual!" Natsumi pulled out a spy manual that she had bought two years ago, in a convenience store on a magazine rack. It wasn't professional in the least bit but she still loved it.

Momoka looked at Natsumi's spy manual kind of sheepishly, embarrassed for Natsumi's sake that she still had it. She did smile a little bit at Natsumi's over-excited nature for the adventure of being a spy. Despite the fact that they weren't superheroes, Natsumi had never given up thinking that they were.

"We could even start a club! That way we could be planning missions under the disguise of doing school." Natsumi tried to reason with her. Now it was starting to feel like an extremely obvious idea to bring her into their school. She had already dragged Mois there. She was still working on Koyuki, but the agency apparently wouldn't let her. Something about the fact that she thought sticking to ceilings was normal. Said it would look too suspicious. Mois was at least a master of disguise and could act normal. Koyuki could not.

"I don't know, Natsumi..." Momoka pouted. "I mean, the double-life thing at school might have worked for you and Mois, but I already lead a double-life. One that's real and not just a ruse and even more important than this one. I'm the Nishizawa heiress. I don't know if I have time to play pretend," she pointed out.

The Nishizawa company owned 51% of the world's economy, so Momoka financed a lot of their missions. Oddly enough, she even tried to finance hits on her dad, just to prove herself. It was always weird, going after him, because it would end in this weirdly touching moment between the two of them. Then Baio would praise Momoka's spy work and give her pointers on taking over the company.

"But..." Natsumi tried to plead with Momoka.

"I have to do my work as a heiress publicly, Natsumi. I just don't have the time. Also, I have tutors at home that teach me more than your school can," she reminded her.

Natsumi sighed. She hadn't wanted to play this card because it wouldn't be her victory, but she knew what could get Momoka to transfer. "My brother goes to my school. If you transferred, I bet you'd wind up in his class and get to spend a bit more time with him.~"

Momoka's eyes instantly focused onto Natsumi. "Fuyuki goes there?" Natsumi didn't even need to finish nodding before Momoka pulled out her phone. "Paul, transfer me into Fuyuki's class at Natsumi's school. Also, buy the school. And I want it to be top of the country's standards. Rebuild the library to have more books on the paranormal. Maybe that will impress Fuyuki - " Momoka was cut off by Natsumi putting her hand over Momoka's phone.

"I... I think you're going a little over the top there. Tone it down, remember? Fuyuki doesn't really get these big gestures. Drawing attention to yourself might be your job publicly, but it isn't my brother's. Remember that time you bought him an island and he was just confused? I... I think it's a bit too intense for him. Just work on your friendship with him, okay? Like... talking to him like a normal person," Natsumi advised.

Momoka pouted. "Call off the new library. But buy the school." Momoka turned off her phone after talking to Paul. She grinned as she looked at Natsumi. "I'm so happy that I'll be going to school with you! I can't wait to spend some time with you (and your family) and learn more about you!" she grinned sweetly.

Natsumi laughing. She knew what Momoka wanted. And she was prepared to use Fuyuki as a weapon if it meant becoming Momoka's friend on a deeper level. With Momoka's tenacity, it was likely she'd be her sister-in-law someday anyway. So they had to start bonding sooner or later, right?

* * *

Natsumi clapped her hands as she saw Momoka walk down the pathway to the gates of her school. A flock of Nishizawa guards were around her, like normal. Subtle wasn't a word Momoka seemed to know.

"You look so cute in your school uniform!" Natsumi complimented.

"Thanks. Wh-where's Fuyuki?" Momoka stuttered. She hoped he also agreed that she was cute.

"You'll probably see him when you introduce yourself to class," Natsumi told her friend. Momoka was two grades below her, a 10th grader since Natsumi was a third-year in high school. Momoka looked so excited. "Now, let me show you around. We can hang out - " Momoka had already run off, effectively ditching Natsumi.

Natsumi sighed. _Shouldn't have brought up the Fuyuki thing._ At least she had cheered Momoka up. Momoka cared way more about Fuyuki than her jealousy for Natsumi.

* * *

After Momoka introduced herself to class, she was happy enough to spend study time catching up to everyone with Fuyuki, under the premise that he was the only one she knew.

"It's really great to have another friend in class, Momoka! I mean, you work with my sister, right?" Fuyuki asked. He didn't like being so alone in class and Momoka seemed like a sweet girl.

"I do. We've very familiar," Momoka reminded him.

"I know," Fuyuki laughed. "It's just I don't know much about my sister's work. I know about you, though. Of course I do!"

"Because I'm the famous Nishizawa heiress?"

"You're what now?" Fuyuki looked confused. He had been in the dark about that. "No, it's because your sis's friend! And my friend too... But uhhh... What's this about being a heiress?" He was really, really oblivious.

Momoka just giggled. Fuyuki was the best! "It's nothing that important. I'm glad it's not as important to you as who I really am. Your friend." She honestly was happy about that. "But about working with your sister... Have you ever considered joining up? Your mother brings you in for tours at least once a week. And I... I honestly think we'd make quite a team... I could train you."

"No thanks. I'm not into the whole government conspiracy thing. I don't even really think there's a reason for you guys to exist. There's no spy enemies to fight. I'm more concerned about the incoming alien invasion than spies. Spy movies were more Natsumi's thing," Fuyuki reminded.

Momoka sighed. The poor kid thought being a spy was just a game. Working with Fuyuki would have been nice, but his head was so up in the clouds. Why did he believe so much in aliens? Why didn't he think spies were important?

Oh well, she decided. She just listened to him talk. Listening to his rants were worth transferring into the school for.

* * *

 _Momoka transferred to my school. You should try to convince the stupid frog to let you transfer, too! Then our whole team could be together!_ Natsumi hit send on her text message to Koyuki. She looked affectionately down at the picture she had taken of Koyuki and her.

Her best friend in the whole world, and she wasn't even allowed to go to school with her. She felt so bummed out. Not to mention lonely. Momoka had immediately ditched her, and Mois was usually busy doing a whole slew of things. She tried to hang out with Natsumi when she could, but a sweet kind girl like Mois had instantly become a hit with the student body. Before they knew it, Mois was the most popular girl in school and had a bunch of extra-curricular activities - be it the cliché captain of the cheer team, to tutoring in math. She was wearing her disguise a little too well, although Natsumi couldn't blame her. She was having fun with her outside freedom. After all, Natsumi had heard that Mois had been at the agency since a young age too, just as hidden away as Koyuki.

Still, this left Natsumi feeling lonely. One of her friends not being able to hang out with her at school, and one of them being just too busy.

 _Sorry. I can't talk to anyone right now. I'm off on an assignment,_ Koyuki texted back. Natsumi frowned at the words. Koyuki was always getting extra work because of her skills, an extra solo missions that Natsumi wasn't told about. She didn't know what occurred on them. Probably some hardcore spy work.

 _Wish I could come, though. You're so lucky to be so normal!_ Koyuki texted. Natsumi frowned.

"She says I'm normal..." Natsumi wasn't too pleased with the words, but she could hardly blame Koyuki's envy. After all, normal was all Koyuki wanted. Natsumi, on the other hand, craved the adventure her spy life gave her. She loved the thrill of it. She was proud of it. She liked being a hero.

She never wanted normal again after being introduced to it.

"Sorry I'm late for lunch!" Mois waved at Natsumi and sat down in the grass with her. "Some boys wanted to carry my books for me, even though I didn't need them carried. They dropped them and then everybody like tripped on them. I think someone accidentally tripped and hit the fire alarm. Everybody panicked. And then they were all fighting over helping me from the nonexistent fire!" Mois giggled. "But as promised, I made it for lunch."

"I knew you would. You do everyday, despite your other obligations," said Natsumi. "Man, I do not envy you being so popular. Having those boys fight over you doesn't sound fun." She meant it, too. Although Mois's hit to popularity had surprised her, she did not envy it. Especially since the poor girl had accidentally dethroned the school's previous idol - Tamama - who was now after her for revenge. And Tamama was pretty nasty. Nasty as in _Mean Girls_ nasty.

"Your wig didn't fall off, right?" Natsumi asked, checking up on her. At school, Mois had blonde hair, opposed to her natural shade of silver. She actually looked quite different than she did as a spy. She was much more disguised than the rest of them, who simply put a mask over their eyes.

"Of course it didn't! My hair is very secure. I'm a master of disguise," she told her.

"B-but... how? It looks so natural... It has to be a wig, right?" Natsumi asked.

"Spy secret," Mois giggled. She even looked taller and like she had a different build in school. Her skin had a "fake tan" look to it, like she partied on the beach everyday. Or went to a tanning salon regularly. She really _was_ a master of disguise.

Natsumi was never unimpressed at Mois's skills when it came to disguise.

"So how are things going? Did you see Momoka yet? I heard she transferred here, but I haven't seen her at all..." Mois took a bite of a sandwich she had prepared.

"I think she's hanging out with Fuyuki. So most likely it's going to be just us at lunch." Natsumi smiled for a second. At least she still had Mois.

"Did she forgive you? About getting the promotion? I mean, we could all kind of tell you were the one who was going to get it. You just have the charisma of a leader! You could say, born to lead?" said Mois.

Natsumi blushed. She hadn't heard that one before. Mois never held back compliments. "I think she has... Hopefully. Koyuki isn't bitter about it either, but are you?"

Mois shook her head. "I wasn't suited for it. I think you're the perfect fit."

Natsumi breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, then I can tell you some of my plans for leadership. I really want to make sure none of us get hurt, but also get things done more quickly and successfully. I was wondering if you wanted to go over some ideas and tell me if they're good or not?"

Mois nodded eagerly as she sipped from a juice box. "Sure!"

Natsumi grinned and started talking.

* * *

She was no more than 10 minutes in before Mois's phone started vibrating. Mois checked it.

"Sorry! I have to leave!" she apologized, bowing.

"The agency need something?" asked Natsumi.

"No. My boyfriend wants to hang out." Mois blushed a little bit, embarrassed that it wasn't work. Natsumi blinked for a few seconds, staring blankly.

"That's still going on?" She had heard that Mois was dating, but she wasn't aware she was _still_ seeing them. Maybe it was a different person entirely and not the boyfriend she had heard about Mois dating months ago. After all, Mois liked Keroro, so there was no reason for this guy, who she had never met, to still be in the picture. "Same guy?"

"Yeah, it's still going on. And it's the same guy," Mois nodded. She could see Natsumi's look of confusion and disapproval. "Don't worry! It's just for my cover! I know the Agency doesn't allow us having serious relationships with others, since we can't tell anyone about the spy stuff." Mois looked a bit disappointed for a moment. "So it's just for my cover! Nothing serious."

Natsumi looked at her like she didn't believe her. It was true that she had never seen Mois interacting with this guy, but something about how she only started liking Keroro around the time she insisted she was dating this guy for a cover was very suspicious. That girl was absorbed in a web of lies.

"Okay, suuure..." Natsumi tried to pretend like she believed her. Seeing that Mois looked annoyed by Natsumi's lack of trust in her, she tried to reassure her. "You're probably also dating him to keep all your other fans from competing for you too wildly, right? If you were single, just imagine how many _more_ fire drills we'd have."

"I'm sure they'd respect me... Wouldn't they?" Mois was concerned. Natsumi and she just frowned at each other.

"Anyway, how did you meet this guy again? Mysterious boyfriend that I've never met and only heard weird stories about?" Natsumi only referred to him that way. She didn't care to learn his name. She already didn't like him. Nobody was good enough for Mois and it also clearly wasn't going to last.

"I tutor him. He's failing math, chemistry... geography. Most everything, actually." She released a sigh. "Our relationship just kind of happened. Since it suited my cover, I kind of let it happen." She giggled.

"Not the smartest guy, huh?" Natsumi frowned, disliking him more and more. Mois really went for the stupid type. "Just... if you need anything, come to me, okay? Like advice? I'm good with boys. I'm more experienced with relationships outside the Agency than you. So if you need a shoulder to cry on, or advice or anything... don't hesitate to come to me. I'll help best I can."

"Thanks," Mois smiled, hugging her friend. "I suppose this is why you like Saburo, huh?"

Natsumi blushed. "Wh-what, what do you mean?" She knew everybody knew, but she didn't like it being brought up.

"Because he's in the Agency! Hypothetically you two could get together with no problems. You could get married and make little spy kids. Momoka also won't have any problems with Fuyuki, since he already knows about the Agency." Mois smiled.

Natsumi just swooned at the idea of little spy kids.

"You should tell him! Maybe he feels the same way!" Mois encouraged.

"I can't. He's much too cool for me! And he's, like, our mentor. He's too calm, too composed... in Australia on some big mission... He's been gone since I was promoted. Two weeks now," Natsumi sighed.

Mois shook her head. Natsumi had to gather her courage _someday_. "Think about it. Anyway, I have to go." She waved to her friend and left.

And Natsumi was left all alone again.

* * *

School ended. Momoka and Mois didn't meet up with Natsumi to walk home with her. They were probably too busy hanging out with their respective boys. Actually, Natsumi knew for a _fact_ Momoka was. She saw her hanging out in the club room with Fuyuki, joining his club instead of hers.

 _Traitor,_ she thought to herself, but giggled for a moment. She walked out of the school gates and saw a fancy black car. It had the professional air that the agency had.

She saw Keroro driving it.

"I came to pick you up. Squad leaders have to get to work early, after all." Keroro grinned at the misfortune on Natsumi's face.

She sighed and opened the car door, getting in.

He adjusted the mirror to see her face. She looked sad and lonely.

"What? Aren't you going to hit the gas? Or did your brain finally explode?" Natsumi growled.

Keroro started driving. "Something happen at school?"

"Like you would understand." Natsumi scooted into the back of her chair.

"True. I never went to school. My family was a spy family like yours, so I got special training by the Agency," he shared

 _Never went to school? Well that would explain a lot._ Natsumi laughed to herself for a moment. Keroro wasn't sure what she was laughing about. He didn't know it was his stupidity.

"What happened?" Keroro asked.

"Nothing. It's just I'm still a bit sad that Koyuki can't come to school with me. You sure you can't pull in some favors with the three heads?"

"Positive. She wouldn't do well in a school environment," Keroro nodded. "Is... Is it really just that...?"

There was a minute of silence between them before Natsumi finally answered. "Momoka and Mois have been busy... They haven't been spending as much time with me as normal, even though we're a team. Instead Momoka's flirting with my brother, and Mois has her boyfriend to worry about."

Keroro raised an eyebrow. He knew about Mois, but not so much about Momoka. "I can hardly blame Momoka. Your brother is pretty cool."

"HEY! Don't you start flirting with him, too!" Natsumi yelled.

"No way! I would never! He's a bit too young for me! And I'm not into his type of guy," Keroro told her.

Natsumi knit her brow. "But... you are into a... type of guy?" This was personal information of Keroro's that she hadn't known.

Keroro cleared his throat awkwardly. "Bringing Koyuki into school wouldn't help your loneliness. The same problem might happen..."

"Koyuki would never leave me for a guy! She's my best friend. She'd make time for me!" Natsumi insisted.

Keroro almost pitied Natsumi. She was a strong, charismatic, lucky and a talented agent. A quick learner and fighter, but she still had very human emotions.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Natsumi. She can't come. It was hard enough integrating Mois to society. She didn't even have records of her existence! We wiped them clean off the earth when we bought her! That was a big fight with the three heads. But it's been successful and she's proven herself. But... Koyuki doesn't have the aptitude. It wouldn't benefit her. Mois, at least, I could make a case that it would help her disguises to interact with people more. And she was a natural at it. But Koyuki's more of a... hiding-in-the-shadows kind of girl." Keroro sighed. "I can understand the feeling of loneliness, though."

"Y-you can?" Natsumi was surprised. Keroro seemed pretty popular at the agency.

"Being without your friends... is a terrible feeling. And I hope for you it just amounts to a bunch of teenage fights. Nothing serious."

Natsumi was almost curious. What had happened to Keroro's friends? She thought he had a lot of them?

Suddenly the alarm in the car blared and a little light went off, stopping their conversation.

"We have a mission apparently. Well, you have a mission. Let's get to work. If the light went off, it means it's important." He stepped on the gas and they were off.

Natsumi decided to put her worries aside for now. There would be a later time to deal with them.

* * *

 **If you haven't figured out already everybody is human in this fic. No aliens here.**

 **Please review.**


	3. Ruler of the World

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

 **Kululu and Giroro are introduced in this chapter btw! Sorry for all the boring exposition in the beginning.**

* * *

Natsumi tugged at her outfit, smoothing the creases of her spy uniform. Koyuki, Mois, and Momoka looked warily at her, from side to side. All four of them stood in front of Keroro, who was straightening some papers, ready to give them a mission briefing.

"So... you said it was some sort of emergency?" Koyuki weaved her hands through her hair. She had hoped to get some downtime with Natsumi between her missions, but had immediately been pulled away for this one.

"I-it... It is." Saburo walked out of the shadows, grabbing the edge of the table to balance himself. One of his hands covered his side as he tried desperately to stop the blood flow from his wound. He had bandages all over his stomach, but the smell of fresh blood still coated them.

"S-Saburo!" Natsumi instantly ran up to his side, trying to help him steady himself. He leaned on her for a moment, wincing in pain. "What happened? I thought you were in Australia for a mission! What went wrong?"

"They wasn't where I thought they'd be." Saburo laughed for a moment at the ill hand fate had dealt him. "In fact, the hideout I had been tracking proved to be a decoy. It was filled with traps, and well... that's how I got as injured."

Natsumi tilted her head to the side, confused. She had no idea what Saburo was talking about. Was he feverish?

"What's going on? What is he talking about?" Momoka asked. She wasn't as worried about Saburo's condition as Natsumi was, so she could ask for hard information.

"I came as soon as I learned about the decoy." Saburo's grip was slipping on the table. Natsumi held him up. He looked super worried, super rambly, as if not even _he_ knew what he was talking about.

"I'm guessing our mission is to find out who did this to Saburo?" said Koyuki.

"You could say, revenge is a dish best served dry?" said Mois.

Keroro shook his head. "This isn't about revenge. This actually has to do with the person Saburo's been ordered to track. You see, there was an attack on the Nishizawa headquarters a while back. Someone hacked in and stole valuable records, leaving not a trace. Saburo's been trying to track them down and has gathered a fair bit of information on our target, someone who - although wasn't public knowledge at the time - is a dangerous threat and caused several governments to topple in different countries," he explained.

"So they're our target?" Natsumi asked. "We just have to find them..."

"Finding them won't be difficult anymore. They've finally decided to make himself public. To make things more grand, something we feared. Something that's put the country in a state of emergency." Keroro looked down at the girls. "The entire city next to ours is experiencing a blackout. Nothing can be done to repair the power shortage."

"You called this whole state of emergency thing to tell us there was a power outage? No big deal." Natsumi waved a hand dismissively.

Keroro's eye twitched. "Big deal?! What if someone needs to play a video game? Power outages are _big deals_!" he insisted. He tried to compose himself for a moment before speaking again. "And it's not only that... The entire city has become covered in these weird wires that move and act like they have minds of their own. They're like... vines. They've trapped the residents - the entire city has turned into a nightmare. It's been closed off to the police and army."

Natsumi's face paled. That _did_ sound more serious.

"Sounds kind of like a super-villain!" Fuyuki spoke up from the back as he idly did his math homework. He had nothing important to contribute to this meeting, but he did like sitting in on them. "Kind of like the super-villains in those comics you and I like reading, huh, Keroro?"

Usually Keroro loved having a good opportunity to fanboy about something he loved, but this time, he kept serious. "It's _exactly_ like a super-villain. Actually, what we're dealing with _is_ one. They even presents themselves as such." Keroro popped a DVD into a TV to show them. "This is what they broadcasted to the populace before he struck. Heh. Thought they could outsmart the Agency by going public. But we actually do have a team that works publicly - " He nodded to the four of them. " - you guys. The public sees you as... like... super heroes or something."

Natsumi couldn't help but feel a little excited as Keroro explained. She knew how dangerous this was - the target was smart, smart enough that they knew about the Agency and had tried to make it impossible for the more experienced and secret agents to attack them. But it also meant that her team could do something really special and take this bozo down. They'd learn their lesson of underestimating her.

Natsumi focused on the video that began to play. There was a typical white background, as the real background had been edited out. A figure sat in a chair, its hands crossed in that supervilliany look. Fuyuki had been right.

She couldn't see the figure's face. Their hair and features were covered by headphones and an unsettling mask that had a creepy toothy smile drawn on it, complete with weird spiral glasses covering its eyes.

Even their body didn't seem to have any notable features that could identity them. They were dressed extravagantly, with long black gloves, a cape, and boots. Their outfit was layered with an expensive, smooth-looking fabric in dark colors like purple, sometimes yellow here and there, showing off a spiral insignia.

"I suppose you're wondering now why I'm on your TVs, personal devices, electronics, even microwaves," the figure spoke, its voice low and scratchy.

 _Dang. They're even modifying their voice to be unrecognizable, meaning we can't trace them._ Natsumi knew this spy trick. Anonymity was one of the highest protections out there. And despite how this person was flaunting themselves to the world now, Natsumi didn't have a single clue as to who they were or how to find them. "Easy and simple. I hacked them! Now, I bet you're wondering why I did that?"

Natsumi didn't nod. She just frowned.

"Because I wanted to help. After all, I'm such a nice guy. You can trust me. Ku, ku, ku." He gave the most untrusting of laughs. "Actually, it was because you yourselves weren't using your time productively. You might not think I don't know you, but I do. I know all of you here on this planet you love to call earth, spouting a sense of community, peace and love. And you're all the same. You're not ruling yourselves properly. You're utterly worthless, letting discrimination take over because of your petty jealousy or because you feel threatened by people who have less than you. It's revolting and disgusting. But don't worry. I have the way to solve your problems." They paused.

"I'm just going to make the decisions for you! To rule you. It's not like you miserable worms can do it any better. I guess you could say this world is ripe for my taking! Ku ku ku. It has my name on it. You'll thank me later, but I'm sure you're a little bitter about it now. Maybe you'll attempt to stop me, fight me. Frame me out as a villain?" Natsumi couldn't tell if the person (man? woman? It was impossible to tell) was smiling. She felt like they were, though. A shiver went up her spine. "That would be funny to see." The figure whistled.

"I suppose then send your best and brightest. I'm taking this city hostage to see if you even have a fighting chance against me. To test you. But you won't be successful. So for all you who are smarter than to fight back, I'd suggest you start bowing to your new ruler - 966. Or, if you need it spelled out for you, _me_!" They stood up and pointed at the screen commandingly. "Kuuuu, ku, ku!"

The screen shut off.

Most of the squad was silent, unsure of how to perceive this new threat. Natsumi was still confident, though. She had never ever lost the optimism that she would beat whatever threat they faced.

"We can take them!" Natsumi smiled. "Don't worry about us, stupid frog. We'll save that city and take them out."

Keroro frowned. He didn't know if he believed Natsumi. "You're very skilled... but... he's proven to be a threat worldwide. You four are still teenagers, so it's very unlikely you'll be able to take them. But I suppose it's not like we have a choice. You're our only public agents." Keroro sighed. And he didn't know how the public would take to any knew agents they introduced. More Peach Summer Snow was like idols to them.

"Do you know anything about him? His origins? Why he's doing this? Weaknesses?" Momoka asked, trying to get a bit more information.

"They've been a threat for awhile," Keroro explained. "An underground villain, only taking things public now. Uhhh, they used to work for the government, communicating over computers. They did the government's dirty work in gathering information on its enemies. But they double-crossed them and got blackmail on them too, so their hands are tied. Our Agency is the only one left they can use. Saburo managed to gather all this intel while tracking 966, hoping to catch them before they seeped their poison into the world."

Natsumi smiled at Saburo. He had done the best he could. But it was time to real a real expert handle this. A girl like her.

"Be careful, guys. He's on a higher level of thinking than a bunch of teenage girls. But now we have to make this thing into a whole good vs evil ordeal...Just don't go dying or anything, okay?" Keroro asked, sounding concerned but also like kind of a jerk.

Natsumi frowned, insulted. "Don't worry! We'll catch him!" She told him, she knew where Keroro was coming from, but she did not doubt her ability in the least bit to nab this guy.

Momoka backed her up. "Yeah, if anybody can do it, it's us."

"Together we can do anything. You could say, the power of friendship?" said Mois.

"I believe in the power of Natsumi - I mean us," Koyuki corrected.

Natsumi smiled. Even if Keroro didn't believe in her, at least her friends did. And that was enough.

* * *

Natsumi wasn't aware that Keroro could pilot a plane. Well, she hoped he could pilot a plane. Because he was currently piloting one as her team held parachutes over the invaded wire city.

"Do we have a time limit?" Natsumi asked. Most of their missions had a set time frame.

"No. Just don't die," Keroro told them.

"Wee!" Mois and Koyuki jumped out of the plane together, holding hands. Natsumi watched them go.

"I hope they don't get caught in the wires..." Natsumi smiled and shook her head. Koyuki would probably be able to cut her way through them. Mois might just blow them up.

"Let's go. This city won't save itself," Momoka reminded her. Natsumi nodded and jumped.

* * *

It was hard to land. The wires were like snakes, waiting for her to enter their territory.

"Natsumi! Over here!" Mois waved her over, to an ashen bit of land that Koyuki and Momoka were protecting. "I blew up the wires in this area!"

Natsumi pulled on her parachute, trying to anchor herself over. "Thanks." She landed. The wires tried to snake over, but with lightning-quick reflexes Koyuki threw a knife at them.

"Good weapons," Natsumi complimented.

"I could use any weapon. It's the skill that matters," Koyuki huffed, reminding Natsumi that life wasn't a spy manual.

"Wh-what are these? Do they sense life? They have a mind of their own... I've never seen anything like them!" Momoka cried. The Nishizawa weapons and hardware were advanced, but this was a level beyond. It almost seemed out of this world. It could have even convinced her of the existence of aliens. She knew only an egotistical human had made them, though.

"C-could it be superpowers? Keroro _does_ go on and on about all sorts of those in his favorite fantasies..." Koyuki tried to defend the small square of land they had. She couldn't spot any civilians that could be saved.

"I don't believe in super powers. As you said, it's all about skill," Natsumi told her.

Mois picked up a bit of wire that Koyuki had cut off to keep them from being entangled by it. After examining it, she pulled out her cell phone and snapped a photo. She scanned the photo with a special cell phone spy technology. "It's definitely technological. No super powers here. It was man-made. It has extremely efficient programming - but it contains endless codes to keep it from being deprogrammed. If... If I had more time, maybe I could tell you more like about the code, but it might take years to decode something like this. It's almost kind of ingenius, actually. It looks to be jammed-packed for it's size - "

Momoka pulled at her, snapping, "Stop nerding out! I could tell you it was a piece of hardware. We all know it's wires."

"The coding information was useful. Our scientists will take it back to the lab and see if there's a way to free the town," said Natsumi. "Thanks, Mois. It's nice to have someone who knows a bit about technology here."

Mois blushed. "I-I just know a bit."

Natsumi pat her on the head. "Whatever."

* * *

"Hey girls, did you land safely?" Keroro asked over a radio.

"Yeah. Now where do we go? Have you located the villain or control room?" Natsumi asked.

"We've picked up signs of a moving human life form in the aquarium. All of the signs point to 966 being there, too. They have to be controlling their wires from somewhere. To broadcast a signal," Keroro told her. "Head there, find out where they are, and take them out at whatever costs." Keroro then signed off.

Natsumi nodded. She had heard the message loud and clear. The fate of the world depended on them.

* * *

Walking fast, trying to avoid wires, it was pretty easy to locate the aquarium. It was the only place that had doors that could be opened.

Natsumi's team threw the doors open and got into position to face 966. But he wasn't there. Instead a blond man with tan skin stood in front of them. He wore a bright red uniform and had a scar covering the left side of his face, through his eye.

"Huh. I suppose that's why you wear a mask. To cover that thing." Natsumi pulled out a laser sword. She was ready to fight.

The man frowned, but laughed for a moment as he pulled out a gun. "Maybe you should take a hint and cover those weird pink pigtails of yours." He grinned at the four of them, revealing sharp and pointed teeth. "This was just what I expected of the Agency. To send their heroic A-team. Ha. What a riot it'll be when I crush you!"

"A-are... Are you 966?" Momoka squeaked out. She went in and out of shy, good-natured episodes. And although being a spy required her to be tough, sometimes she was rather polite to their enemies.

"Hell no! 966 has better things to be doing than dealing with the Agency's canon fodder. This is bigger than just one person. You can't expect to just find and defeat him." _Ah, so it's a guy, then,_ thought Natsumi. "You thought this would all be over with one mission? You thought wrong." The man laughed again. "What, did you think this was something like good vs. evil? That notion is nonexistent. Nothing in this world is so black and white. People devote themselves to their causes and believe in them truly - "

Natsumi threw a chair at his head. "We're not here to talk about ethics. We're here to fight. Release the city! I don't care who you are."

The man smiled, spitting some blood out of his mouth and wiping his chin. "I have to admire that gusto. I couldn't say it better myself."

Momoka frowned as she rubbed her chin. She was still confused who was in front of them. It didn't seem like it was 966, but then, who? "Ah! You must be 966's henchman! Or... assistant?"

"I prefer the term _bodyguard_ ," the blond man corrected. "But your friend in the pink is right. Talking time is over. It's time to fight." He charged.

Natsumi's team spread out in the formation she had taught them. "Snow! Go for the legs! More, explosives! Distract him or take him out. Just be sure not to take us out! Wait, on second thought... no explosives, I'm pretty sure we're under a tank of water." Natsumi looked at the ceiling where fish were happily swimming. "Just... uhhh, try your hardest I guess?" Mois was actually pretty useless if she had no explosives and wasn't doing stealth or technological work. "Peach, take out his arms..."

Natsumi tried to give them orders as they spread out. But the man before them was fast. Momoka tried to pull out her arm canon, but he grabbed onto her arm and snapped the device off.

Momoka struggled and kicked, but the man held her in his mighty grip. Koyuki threw some knives at him, but he caught them all.

He sent Momoka across the room with a punch to her cheek, toward Mois who rushed over to help her.

"Ow!" they both screamed.

Natsumi ran forward to trade blows with him, trying to strike him with her laser sword. He quickly pressed the button to defuse it, hidden on its handle as if he had used it a thousand times.

"Summer! I'll help!" Koyuki tried to attack from the back, but the man crouched, causing her to trip over him.

It went like this like this for minutes. They traded blows more with each other than him. He was faster and tougher than the four of them and seemed to predict their moves before they made them. He barely spoke in the zone of battle.

"You fight like the Agency. You're going to lose, because unlike you, I have a fighting style that's completely unique." The man twirled Koyuki into the air and sent her careening into Mois and Momoka just as they were getting up.

"THIS IS UNFAIR!" Momoka whined angrily. She wanted to break this whole building to stop him. She was almost about to let Mois plant her explosives.

"Urgh." Natsumi gritted her teeth. She wouldn't let this guy beat her. Sure, she was outmatched, but she would not let him win. Despite being beaten over and over again, she kept getting up and trying to land a punch on him. Her body was bruised and beaten but her optimisim didn't waver.

The man eventually pushed her to the ground. His hand clasped around her jaw so she couldn't struggle free.

"You lose." He put his gun to her head. "You should have probably trusted your beloved Agency a little less, after they trained you so poorly."

Natsumi's eyes widened at those words. _Trained me so poorly...? That's right... We've all been using the fighting method we learned as spies. We all have the same style of fighting..._ Koyuki, Momoka and Mois didn't know any other method. But she did.

She remembered fondly the time that she had beaten her mother, a trained spy. Aki had been on the ground smiling, proud of her daughter despite being unable to get up. Natsumi breathed heavily, but she was still the strongest. Her method was just one of brute strength, unpredictability. It was all her own. Nobody could read it.

 _I was told my method was unprofessional. But maybe this guy could appreciate it._ Natsumi smiled widely, despite the hand around her mouth.

She then kneed him in the stomach with all her strength. Biting and using all the dirty tricks in the book, she rolled away from him like her life depended on it.

The man rubbed his jaw, but just like her mother, he was smiling. Was that a hint of pride in his eyes? "So there is a little something more in you than just typical Agency branding." He grinned. _I knew you were something to look out for. I can sense a fighting spirit in there._

"Ready for round two?" Natsumi shouted.

"Round one hasn't ended," the man told her as she charged at him. He thought he was ready. But he was nowhere near Natsumi's new level.

* * *

Her moves were too unpredictable. And soon enough, he was lying on the floor in his own blood, heavily breathing. He was completely beaten.

Natsumi smirked at him. "I'm taking you back for questioning. I hope your jaw isn't broken. I want you to be able to talk."

The man laughed at her instead. "I haven't lost yet." He pulled out a button from his pocket. "This button in my hand detonates a bomb in the aquarium that will crack the glass of the ceiling and the water will flow in, killing us all. I might die, but you will too."

"I thought it _freed_ the city!" Natsumi frowned. She had been told it would do that.

"It might, sure." The man tried to examine Natsumi's face. She didn't look like she had much experience, so she might not be able to figure out a lie if she saw one. "But do you really want to gamble on your and your comrade's lives? You're the leader, aren't you? Do you want to be held responsible?"

Natsumi moved forward, grabbing one of the knives that Koyuki had thrown that was now on the floor. She held it to his throat. "I'm not a murderer. I won't let them die. We're heroes. And I won't let you die, either. Good doesn't kill anybody. That's not my job." She held the knife against him anyway, to keep him from leaving.

He gave her the button, shrugging. He'd let her make the choice herself.

"So...It...It might actually kill us all." She sighed.

"That will be something you'll find out on your own." Suddenly the mysterious blond man was sinking into the floor from a floor panel. In mere moments he had spun away and he was gone. There were no seems into the floor to suggest a secret exit.

"Darn." Natsumi cursed. "I hate that guy." She didn't even know him but she knew she hated him. She had beaten him when nobody else could, yet she still felt like she lost since he evaded her.

"What are you going to do, Summer?" Koyuki asked, trying to get up. "We need to release the city. That's our primary job. But can we take that risk."

Momoka and Mois nodded, getting up carefully.

Natsumi shook her head. She thought for a moment. "More... you can withstand heavy weight, right? You can take the pressure of water?" Natsumi gave her a pleading look.

"Yep. During the super soldier experimentation, the Agency put me through all of that. My body was modified to be a lot stronger than yours. Especially my resistance to water. It won't hurt me in the least. You could say, all-terrain vehicle?" she said with a sweet smile.

"I know. I know what they did. I just wanted to know if you pressed this alone and it was a bomb... if you'd die." Natsumi looked at her seriously. After all what she would be suggesting if there was a risk was sacrificing one of them for the good of all.

"No. There's no risk. I've detonated bombs in aquariums before." Mois told her a bit too much information.

Natsumi didn't want to know. "Will you do it?"

"I'd be honored." She smiled. "Now please. Get out of the aquarium."

* * *

Natsumi, Koyuki, and Momoka looked at the aquarium waiting for it to crack. To their surprise and happiness, the wires around it released. No explosions sounded.

Mois walked out. "All better!"

The wires everywhere released their hold on the city. Their gamble had paid off. It had all been a lie.

And they had saved the city as their job had instructed them.

The sunset was always so rewarding after a day's work.

* * *

 **Hope the fight scene was okay.**


	4. Heroes in One's Heart

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Natsumi's knuckles bled as she punched the punching bag again and again. She didn't care about the pain. She just wanted to get stronger.

 _I beat him. But I still lost. He got away, and we're no closer to catching 966 because of it._ She was her group's leader. And despite her promise to protect all of them, they had all sustained injuries from the thrashing the strange blond man had given them.

She had truly lost. It may have looked like a victory, but it was a defeat. And she was more mad at herself than she could ever be at her enemy.

"I hate him! I hate him! He thinks he's so tough! I bet that scar he has is just _drawn_ on because he's so freakin' pretentious!" Natsumi growled, sending the punching bag flying again.

Koyuki watched her like a hawk, just frowning as she saw how much pain her friend was in. Medical bay had cleared Natsumi to continue training since she had by far the least injuries, but Natsumi was being harder on herself than anyone else could have been. Nobody even chewed her out for the job they had done. They just congratulated them for saving the city.

"Natsumi..." Koyuki spoke in a soothing voice. "It wasn't your fault. And you did great! You won in the end! You beat him when the rest of us couldn't - in fact, all three of us together couldn't come close to what you did!" She tried to praise her, hoping that would ease Natsumi's mind.

Natsumi turned with a frown. "He was so strong, Koyuki. I know you're way tougher than I am! You shouldn't have lost. Heck, I barely even won and even then... Even then, he was well enough to get away without leaving a trace." She bit her lip. Perhaps he had faked losing to her. Maybe even her fight had been a lie, like the one he had fed them about the remote.

Koyuki limped over to her friend, her legs still slightly in pain from the battle. She gave her a hug before Natsumi could move onto the next punching bag.

"Koyuki, let me go!" Natsumi hissed. "Go hug Momoka or Mois. They need it more. They're still in medical bay!" She wasn't sure if Momoka was still injured or if she was just making a big deal about it to worry Fuyuki - nevertheless, she was still worried about both of them.

"You won. You beat him. There's no need to continue punching things, thinking of him," Koyuki reassured. Natsumi's shoulders slumped as she weakened to the power of the hug.

"I might have beat him. I won the battle, but not the war. I beat him on a personal level, but not worldwide. People could die because I let him get away," she confessed. "And my pride is not so weak to just take the petty victory over one battle. It means nothing in the grand scheme of things."

Koyuki didn't answer. She had no words to soften the blow or reassure her friend.

"Let's get you cleaned up," she said finally. "Your knuckles are bleeding way too much."

Natsumi gave a small nod, giving in.

* * *

The Agency's primary job was to keep the country safe - a secret sect of the national government that operated under their laws. It didn't have its own antonymous freedom, even if it was mostly financed by the Nishizawas.

Protection was the Agency's priority. On a country-wide scale, keep threats out. And on a world wide scale, work with other spy agencies around the world to try to make sure nothing popped up like 966, a super-villain who might threaten the whole world's safety and take over.

Currently, they were failing that job. 966 was no closer to being found and could no longer be pursued by top agents now that he was public knowledge and all over the newspapers. It would make the public too suspicious of what was going on in the government and their country that they didn't know about - not to mention the invasions of privacy that was probably taking place. The word "spy" was dirty and the public was sure not to trust them.

The public only trusted things that they perceived as superheroes, like More Peach Summer Snow. It had been a lucky suggestion on Keroro's part to market them as idols and see how the public would react to seeing some of their spy agents work more publicly. As suspected, they weren't even seen as spies.

But now that meant More Peach Summer Snow were the only agents that could go after 966, since the public was keeping a watchful eye on them both. They almost expected it, like some sort of cartoon entertainment. The hero triumphs over the villain. There was a certain amount of pressure in it.

But that wasn't the thing Keroro was most worried about at the moment... The thing that didn't occupy his thoughts despite it being a pressing concern.

"966's bodyguard..." He looked at the agents in front of him. Most of the organization was there, ready to discuss the new information presented.

"Nobody had any idea that there was someone working with him. And this makes the situation all the more serious. He was bad enough alone, but now he has help," said Saburo. He was still injured, but he could at least sit at a big fancy table and talk.

Natsumi mostly bobbed her head up and down, nodding, trying not to throw the table at the wall. She was still very mad at this bodyguard and didn't really want to talk about him. She knew it was important to discuss this, though, and how they'd deal with him.

"Do we know anything about him? His name? Anything?" Aki asked, trying to get more information.

"No. There were no cameras we could view at the aquarium. So the only information we have is what Natsumi, Koyuki, Mois and Momoka have given us. He's a complete mystery." Keroro frowned. "It does seem quite clear, though, that he's an expert in our fighting style."

"A rogue agent, then? That would make him quite the threat to us," Aki suggested.

Natsumi gripped the table harder. She was done with just nodding. "Nobody would go rogue! Why would they? The Agency is a great place and I can't imagine anyone would betray it. I mean - we're the heroes. We do all things good!" She spoke with utmost certainty. She waited for Keroro to back her up; he was a big fan of lecturing them about how they were all "heroes." But he was just silent. He didn't speak about comic books or put in any weird comment.

"Um... a-actually... people have left the agency before. Quit, run off. You name it," he finally said. "Sometimes they file their paperwork correctly, sometimes they just flat out disappear. Although you're right. I can't imagine any of our ex-agents turning flat out evil. None of the ones I've seen, at least," he reassured her.

Natsumi was a little bit surprised, but the reassurance helped. So the man she fought really _wasn't_ a rogue agent.

She sighed in relief as the conversation continued on, mostly guesswork about the scarred bodyguard.

Eventually the conversation steered to other things about the attack, like about the strange wires that had covered the city.

"Maybe we should be focusing on the bigger issue besides one guy's identity," said Mois. "Like the fact that this super-villain invented wires that absorbed an entire city and populace, freezing them in their places. The programming itself for them is impressive, but even their skillful design is a level far beyond any kind of inventions that have ever been documented."

"Mois and I have been looking into a sample of the wire she brought back. It was definitely coded with technology that caused everything to go haywire - but it's beyond our level of engineering. It's way more advanced than anything me and Mois could decipher," said Saburo.

"Even you and her? But you're both so smart!" Natsumi chimed in.

"It's not that," said Mois. "I'm trained in communication and various technologies. But this is beyond me. I still can't decipher how exactly it was made... Saburo was no more help."

"At least you knew when to give up," Saburo reminded her. "I still thought I could decode it." He gave her a small smile. Mois giggled. "Anyway, we took it to our intelligence department and not even they could figure out how this 966 guy made this. This guy's obviously super smart, because he's outsmarted even us - the Agency! We were the ones who managed to engineer a super soldier like Mois."

Mois waved a hand. "Aww, stop it! You're making me blush."

"No reason to blush. Our intelligence department is the _best_ ," he bragged. "I worked in intelligence for a bit before deciding to be a field agent. It was impressive, the success they had with you. Making an all-terrain super soldier is something I didn't think was possible. I suppose tons of experiments were bound to have success after a while, though. Ah, the advancements of technology!"

"But... the point of this conversation isn't boring science mumbo jumbo," Keroro reminded. "It's that no matter how smart our intelligence department is, this 966 guy is still better." He, however was not. He didn't like when Saburo and Mois talked technology, because he was easily lost.

Natsumi scooted her wheely chair over to Mois as Keroro argued with Saburo. "Experiments?" she whispered. She knew about Mois's abilities, how she was the Agency's super soldier, but it had never occurred to her _how_ Mois had become like that. She never questioned that it might have been something inhumane.

"To make my body like this, the agency had to do experiments on me. Cutting me up, modifying organs, replacing them, playing with my DNA strands, all sorts of genetic modifications on a real life living human. I can't deny it was painful, but..." Mois stopped talking after a moment when she saw the shocked and disgusted look on Natsumi's face. The pained expression that maybe... the Agency _wasn't_ what they thought it was.

 _Maybe... Maybe there COULD be a rogue agent if we did something like this... I mean, I thought we were the heroes, but could I be wrong?_ Natsumi wondered.

"I don't blame them in the least bit," Mois reassured. "I'm actually grateful. They saved my life!"

Natsumi looked relieved. Saved her life? Maybe there was a reason for what had happened to Mois, then. "H-how...?" she asked curiously.

"Before I came to the agency, I lived in a town with a very poor climate. Pollution, nuclear problems, those sort of things." She shrugged. "Because of this, the later generation of kids developed many birth defects. I was one of them - I was slowly and painfully dying from a rare genetic illness. I was a miserable existence. My parents put me in the hospital for a long time, but treatment was getting expensive and when the agency came to our town because they needed kids for an experiment, they bought all the children at the hospital. And... well... my family had to sell me. I was costing them a lot." She was silent for a moment. "It doesn't bother me, though. I can barely remember their faces. My eyes had shut down at that point." She tried not to giggle awkwardly. "Since most of the children were going to die anyway, the agency decided to experiment on us, to see if they could make us healthier than the average human. Stronger. Better. The others died in the experimentation, but I was a success. Their first success. They don't know if its because my illness fit with the DNA they were remodeling, or if it was just luck. But I'm alive and cured. And for that, I am eternally thankful." She bowed her head in a little respect.

Nobody else was listening to her backstory dump. They were still watching Keroro and Saburo argue about science and Keroro making uneducated remarks.

"So that's how you got all those cool abilities like being able to withstand great pressure and stay underwater for so long... Darn, I kind of wanted those abilities, too. Is that also why you're so skilled with disguises and explosives?" Natsumi asked.

Mois grinned. "No. That's just me!"

Natsumi frowned. Phooey. She probably wouldn't get those, either, then.

She leaned her head on the table and hoped they'd be dismissed from work early.

* * *

 _Summer, huh?_ the blond man, also known as Giroro, wondered. That was the name of the leader of the band of four girls, right? The one with pink pigtails and a pink uniform? The very pink one, basically. _Wouldn't Peach fit better for a pink one? Or have I messed up her name?_ He was still bruised from his fight with her. Luckily, 966 had given him some pain pills that were healing his injuries faster than regular medicine would. That guy was a real genius, but Giroro wasn't going to tell him that. It would go straight to 966's head.

 _She was tough. I honestly didn't expect that._ He still smiled when he thought of their fight. It was a good fight; he was impressed by her skills. He caught himself smiling and stopped. _Crap! Giroro, don't do this! She's an enemy! You can't enjoy the aspect of fighting your enemy. That's not in your job description. You shoot things, not enjoy a fulfilling fight._ Still, he was looking forward to seeing her again. To fighting her again. Would he win this time? He deserved a rematch.

Either way, it would be fun. And she had earned his respect, despite being an enemy. Not like he would tell her that. Maybe if they saw each other on a more regular basis, fighting each other every week, being each others arch-nemesis. Than he could admit to a begrudging respect on his part. But no... They weren't on that level yet. So he had to keep his respect a secret.

 _Shit! You can't be having arch-nemesis fantasies already! I haven't even been working for a public super-villain that long. We don't know how long it will take to conquer the world. This might not be a long-term fight._ Giroro tried to compose himself. He knew the supervillain handbooks he had bought in a convenience store had told him everything he needed to know about being someone's henchman. It was rather exciting, but still... He was overly eager. _My arch-nemesis would be awfully cute if I picked her, though._ Giroro shook his head. He wasn't fighting a superhero. He had to remind himself that. He was fighting a spy. A cute spy, sure, but underestimating the enemy was a big mistake.

"Ku, ku, ku. It's hilarious how you got beaten so easily. I thought you were supposed to be tough!" 966 snapped him out of his fantasies, peering over his shoulder with the creepy mask on. Not even he knew what he looked like under his outfit. Giroro didn't even know his name, despite all the years he had spent working for him. Heck, it had taken him a year to work up the courage to ask what pronouns he should use when talking to his employer.

"Shut up, 966," Giroro growled. He wasn't the most respectful bodyguard. Years of teasing and pranking had forced Giroro to learn that a bit of disrespect wouldn't cost him anything. 966 would be a jerk either way.

"Oh? So are you going to explain to me why you failed then? Mr. 'I'm so tough?' " he jeered. "Was it because four girls managed to outnumber you, or because you thought one of them was cute, or because you're just not as good as you thought you were?"

"I wasn't holding back," Giroro spoke honestly. "It was just because Summer... uhh, the leader, I think... was a worthy opponent. I'll be sure not to underestimate her next time. The rest of them were easy to defeat, though. They got knocked over like dominoes." Giroro tried to sooth his failure.

"I don't care if you beat three of them. If you didn't beat all of them, that's still a loss," 966 hissed. "You need to step up your game, because we will not lose our goal of bringing justice to the world."

"Wh-what if we do, though?" asked Giroro. "I mean... what if somehow - now that we've... well... now that _you've_ made yourself publicly known - we fail? What if we _don't_ bring justice to the world like we planned?"

"Then the whole world will burn," 966 answered simply. "They either go by my rules or die. It's that simple."

Giroro nodded. "Don't underestimate the Agency so much. You think your victory is assured. We need to be more careful, since they are quite formidable."

"They aren't. I have all the information I need on them. Their plans, what they're up to, where they're located and so on." 966 waved a hand. "You were never one for sticking up for the agency and saying they were strong though. I bet you just mean don't underestimate Summer, the girl who apparently kicked your butt. Ku, ku, ku. What, got some sort of special interest in her?"

Giroro frowned.

"Ohh, let me guess! Have some sort of dumb juvenile crush on her? You would be idiotic enough to fall for someone just because they completely humiliated you and kicked your butt. I think someone here has a fetish - " Giroro punched 966 in the face. 966 laughed as he rubbed his mask.

"Ow. What is that made of, titanium?" Giroro asked. He doubted 966's face could lift titanium.

"Protective gear of my own invention. Seems to have paid off. Ku, ku, ku." 966 glanced down at Giroro's injured hand. "Was I right on the bullet?"

"I want to beat her, to fight her, to crush her. Nothing more. Wanting to fight someone... Seeing them as an enemy doesn't mean I like them," said Giroro. Besides, he barely knew Summer. He didn't even know if her name was Summer or Peach. You couldn't like someone from that little of knowledge about them. He was merely intrigued.

"I'm loyal to you, 966. Not some girl I barely know. I'll be looking out for you, like I was paid to do." Giroro tried to be professional and bow, like he was swearing allegiance. _Besides. It's my turn to protect someone for once, like my brother did for for me. Even if that person is 966._

"Good," 966 said gruffly.

"By... By the way..." Giroro got up off his knee. "You said you had information on the Agency. Do you have any about the team I just fought? Their real names, who they are...Stuff like that?"

"You just want to know about your new girlfriend. Ku, ku, ku," 966 teased. Giroro's face turned red with frustration. "No. I don't know. My informant wouldn't give me that information. I know barely anything about them, besides that they are the A-team the agency uses for public affairs. They're a team that deals with missions of no real importance, or are used when there's a risk of the public finding out about whatever job the agency needs," 966 explained.

Giroro just frowned. He was kind of curious to know about Summer. Specifically her name. "So... no names to track them down out of work..." Giroro rubbed his chin. "Speaking of that... uhhh, we've worked together long enough that... well... shouldn't you be able to trust me with your real name?"

"Nah. What if you turned on me?" asked 966. "Too big of a risk."

"I won't," Giroro promised. 966 would not tell him his name, though. "After all these years together, you've become like a little brother to me. And sure, you might be a pretentious super-villain, bratty sometimes, and you pick on me constantly, but I still want to be a good role model for you. Like my brother was to me. So I wouldn't turn on you."

"Gross." 966 turned away, like he was smiling but too shy to show Giroro. It wasn't like he could see the guy's face anyway.

"Anyway, I believe in your vision. Your dream of making equality in this world. Even if... you're getting a little off track lately with all this revenge and torture. You've become warped but I believe there were ideals there originally. So I won't leave," Giroro reminded him.

966 just started walking off. He didn't want to listen to this sappy spiel any longer.

Giroro watched him go, still wondering about Summer slightly. Would he fight her again? He really did hope.

* * *

All Natsumi wanted was some coffee in the morning. But instead she was called into work early. School had been canceled, thanks to another strike by 966.

"It happened again." Keroro told them. "He's organized his second strike. We predicted he would, we just didn't know when."

"Another city covered in wires?" Fuyuki asked.

"No. He's somehow hacked all the airlines to become grounded, freezing transportation," said Keroro. "The populace was antsy enough with that, but then he started releasing _on national TV_ conspiracies and affairs that are going on in the government between various politicians - nothing revealing our existence, but man... There are some real sketchy things that the politicians tried to cover up and now are aired out. One of them apparently made an alliance with another politician out of the country to help both of them rise to power. Huge riots have started all over the world against various governments. It's absolute chaos," said Keroro.

"Shouldn't I be dealing with this, then?" Momoka asked. "Politics are more _my_ layer of expertise outside of this agency. You know in my life as a heiress. Why did you call us in?" she asked. "There's nothing we can do as spies to stop citizens from being justifiable angry."

"But we can figure out how to fix the planes, getting the populace distracted enough to look at you guys as heroes instead of worrying about their own problems and causing fights amongst each other," Keroro reminded. "We've located the broadcast signal of the hacking job. The bodyguard you faced previously might be there to fight you again, so we have to send you in."

Natsumi nodded. This time she wouldn't let him get away. She would ask him her questions, make sure he wasn't a rogue agent. _I... I need to know this. Nobody really could see us as the bad guys, right?_ She loved the Agency. She saw them as heroes. She loved her life as a spy. So she was still slightly shaken at the news that a rogue agent might exist.

"I'm coming with you. I know you should go alone... But you need a more skilled agent with you," Saburo insisted. Natsumi's heart leaped out of her chest at the idea of going on a mission with Saburo. It was like a dream!

"You're still injured, though." Koyuki pointed out. "You can barely walk."

"You need me," Saburo insisted. "I can help."

"The public doesn't know you," Keroro told him.

"They'd like me if they got to know me." Saburo swept his hands through his hair. "I mean, I am kind of an idol for my one disguise. I go by the name Mutsumi and listen to their letters. Supplies us with all sorts of information... who needs help and who doesn't."

"I can't believe you started that disguise when you were grounded to the spy postal service." Keroro sighed. Saburo just had to go above and beyond with everything. Still, he was happy to have someone so dramatic. "Fine, you can go. You'll drive in jeeps, since planes don't work. Good luck."

Natsumi nodded. They didn't need luck. She'd win. She'd win for them all.

* * *

It took a while, but eventually they reached a stadium where the blond man was standing, guarding an antenna.

"I knew you'd be back," he grinned, seeing Natsumi. He frowned when he saw Saburo. "Who is this?"

"Doesn't matter. You won't last long to remember." Saburo got in a stance to fight him, twirling around a pen, a nifty gadget that he had been given that transformed into a variety of weapons - kind of like a swiss army knife but cooler, and also more deadly.

"He's injured. Why did you send an injured man to fight me?" Giroro asked. Despite Saburo's injury, he ran toward Giroro with lightning-fast speed. He was agile. Giroro dodged his blows, but Saburo managed to dodge anything Giroro also threw at him, trying to adapt to whatever fighting style Giroro was using.

"Despite my injury, I can handle you." Saburo hissed.

Koyuki tried to climb the wall, perching carefully a safe distance away from Giroro and throwing darts at him, trying to lead him into Saburo's attacks.

Mois tossed some explosives, which Giroro happily batted away. Momoka tried to punch him, same as Natsumi.

Giroro managed to keep up with all of them, except Natsumi.

"I do not want to fight all of you. You're not worth my time. I believe in a good fight, an honest one, and only one person has lived up to that task so far." He glanced at Natsumi.

"I'm not so low as to take compliments from the likes of you," Natsumi hissed. Giroro sighed and pulled out a button.

"Another bomb?" Natsumi asked. She couldn't reach Giroro before he pressed it.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Natsumi stood completely still and unhurt as Koyuki, Mois, and Saburo screamed and fell to the ground. They grabbed at the backs of their necks, screaming as electrical shocks went through them.

"Wh-what... What happened?" Natsumi asked, worriedly backing away as she watched her friends on the ground. Even the likes of Saburo had been defeated in one blow, although - even if Giroro didn't have that device - he still probably would have won.

"Sorry about that. I didn't much feel like dealing with pests like them. Canon fodder. My employer gave me this device to get rid of you agents. It activates the electrical device that the Agency has installed in all of you in case you turn traitor. Packs a nasty punch, though, huh?" Giroro gave a small smirk. "Not my style, personally. I prefer an honest fight. What I did to preserve time was dishonorable. " He dodged a blast from Momoka's arm-canon.

Natsumi was shocked. "Electrical device installed in all agents? I-if... If we turn traitor?" How did he know these things? Why would the Agency do that to them.

Momoka put a hand on Natsumi's shoulder. She could tell she was shaking. "We didn't get zapped because we don't have them yet. They usually only install them in adults or people they own, who have lived there most of their lives," she whispered. She had already known.

Natsumi couldn't stop her shaking. Had Koyuki known about these? Mois? Saburo? Or was this another secret she hadn't known? Was this wrong?

She couldn't even stop shaking as Giroro approached and beat Momoka yet again, tossing her into the wall repeatedly until she was also out of the fight. He then turned to Natsumi.

 _Oh no... I won't beat him long-term,_ Natsumi realized. Perhaps she had beaten him once, but he would always come back and beat her friends. Was he stronger than her? She didn't know.

He just walked up to her, smiling. Was he a madman? Why was he smiling? He got close enough to her that he could reach her.

She just stared blankly, waiting for him to make the first move.

He handed her a gun that had been tied firmly to his belt. "Have you ever used one of these?" He asked her patiently, as if he was her teacher.

"No! Of course not!" She wasn't sure why he was handing her a gun. Was he just bored now that everyone else was out of commission, knocked out and unconscious? Was he playing with her like she was his prey? "Guns kill. Only villains use them." Was he going to force her to kill one of her friends? That seemed pretty villainous. Like something _he_ would do.

She narrowed her eyes. She wouldn't hurt any of them. She would rather die.

"966 has caused chaos by stopping the airlines. The only way to let them fly again is by pressing a button at the bottom of the antenna behind me," Giroro explained.

Natsumi was further confused why he was telling her this. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I'll only let you press it if you beat me. You're tough. I like that. I want an honest fight, uninterrupted by your friends. Something... respectable. That's why I gave you a weapon." He gave her a curt nod. "It would be nice to see your world shaken. For you to be forced to use one of the weapons you yourself refuse to use. Will you prevail? Or will I?" he wondered.

Natsumi was confused. So... he just wanted to fight her. "Fine. I'll fight. And I'll win. But I want something in addition if I win."

"Oh? Asking for more, huh?" Giroro smiled. "A bit early for you to be making demands. You haven't even beaten me yet."

"I want to know why you're doing this - working for 966. And I want to know your name." She had to know if he was doing it because he had a bone to pick with the Agency. If her heroes had done something wrong.

"Fair enough. But only if you'll do the same if I win," Giroro nodded. He backed up a few paces. "Should we begin?"

Natsumi nodded.

"Ladies first - " Giroro was cut off by the sound of Natsumi rushing up and creaming him. She shot at the beams above him, causing them to fall toward him. Despite never having used a gun before, she still had an innate ability with it.

Giroro shot, dodged, and tried to land a hit, but it was to no avail.

And quicker than she had in hand-to-hand combat, she won.

* * *

Giroro lay on the dirt, exhausted just like in their first battle. But he wasn't disappointed. Instead, he was pleased. She was exactly as amazing and tough as he had believed. She would make a perfect enemy.

They belonged together, on opposite sides. He was sure this was fate, hate at first sight. She hated him deeply and he... Well, he respected her and just enjoyed fighting her. He didn't exactly hate her or have anything personal against her. But he knew they were "true enemies."

Natsumi helped him up just out of politeness. She did like the gun he had gifted her. It was pretty cool.

 _I didn't know these were so useful. I guess the real way to a girl's heart is by giving them weapons, weirdly enough... Wait, no, that doesn't make any sense,_ she thought. "Okay, I won. Now tell me why you're doing this."

He shrugged. "It's a living." _Worst. Possible. Answer._ "Pays the rent. 966 really knows how to compensate."

Natsumi frowned. At least it wasn't anything involving the Agency. It was just a stupid reason. This guy was an idiot. "And your name?"

"Giroro," Giroro introduced simply. "Yours?"

"Natsumi Hinata," she said.

Then she covered her mouth.

 _CRUD! I said my name on impulse! I was supposed to give him my code name, Summer! But now he can track me down and my secret is gone! CRUD CRUD CRUD CRUD! My life is over! I've just broken the biggest spy rule of all just cause of a slip of the tongue!_ She was in a panic.

Giroro didn't know why she had frozen up, but he pressed the button, freeing the planes. "Thanks for the fight then, Natsumi." He smiled, flashing sharp, pointed teeth. "Pretty name. See you again soon!"

He pressed a button and he was gone.

And Natsumi was just left to panic about how much she had screwed up.

* * *

 **I need to give the other three girls more scenes. Giroro's taking up too much screen time.**

 **Tamama will come in eventually. So will Dororo. Really. I swear.**

 **Please review.**


	5. Old Friend

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

 **Not much happens this chapter besides talking. You get Keroro's backstory though and Giroro's.**

* * *

Natsumi could barely breathe. She just wheezed as Koyuki, Mois, Momoka, and Saburo all checked in with Keroro.

"Mission control said your electronic chips went off," said Keroro. "Crud. 966's team has a device to control them, too? We need to work on our modifications."

Natsumi didn't even listen. She was trying to make it not apparent that she was panicking at the information she had given Giroro.

"Does that mean taking them out and getting new ones? Ouch... That procedure doesn't sound painless," Saburo moaned, rubbing the back of his neck. Maybe it was time to take some time off to heal up. His injuries had nearly cost them the battle.

"Still thanks to Momoka and Natsumi, you guys managed to save the day again. Nice job, girls," Keroro congratulated.

"Don't thank me. The blond henchman trashed me," said Momoka. "I got knocked out most of the battle. Natsumi must have taken him out."

Natsumi's fingers shivered, still clutching the gun he had given her. Koyuki's eyes noticed the new device.

"Is he dead?" she wondered. Natsumi was shaking. That didn't seem right.

"N-no." She shook her head. "He escaped. Again."

"Darn. Did you learn any new information about him?" Keroro asked. "Why he's working with 966? His relationship to him? His name?"

"His name should be Mr. Blond and Grumpy," Mois whispered under her breath.

Natsumi couldn't help but agree. "His name is Giroro," she stated. The rest of the information of the battle didn't seem important to share. She hadn't learned much about him except how he carried himself, how he enjoyed fighting. And his personality was just pure speculation on her part. Really, she wasn't thinking much about who he was anymore, just about how much danger she was in. How much danger her entire school was in. How 966 could capture her brother and hurt him now that Giroro had her real name.

She had screwed up so much. People could die because of her one mistake.

Keroro paled. "G-Giroro? No... No... No way..." His face was green from nausea and it looked like he would collapse at any moment. Mois helped him keep his balance. "Are you _sure_ his name was Giroro? It's a pretty uncommon name..."

Natsumi nodded. "Positive."

"This is bad... This is bad." Keroro sweated. "I have to report this to the three heads." He dabbed at his forehead, trying to keep his messy black hair from sticking to it.

"The three heads?" Koyuki asked. "This Giroro guy is _that_ important?"

"The three heads are coming here?" said Momoka. The three heads of the agency not even _she_ had met. They kept to the shadows, the underground levels of the agency, planning things and giving out orders. Sometimes Keroro pressed a button on a table and their darkened silhouettes would appear to everybody. They could hear their voices, but never see their faces.

They seemed commanding, secretive, almost frightening with their level of secrecy. Natsumi admired them.

Saburo liked to jokingly call them the three admirals, as if they were in a military operation. But besides that, they had no names for them.

"They have to know immediately." Keroro pressed a button on the table and their silhouettes appeared.

"Sector C-7, what is it that you need?" one of them asked. Their hologram hovered above the table so that they could all see them.

"The identity of the bodyguard of 966 has been found. His name is Giroro," Keroro told them. "How should we proceed?"

"Giroro, huh? That traitor!" one of the heads hissed. "Bring him back alive or kill him on sight. Do not let him escape or be held by different authorities like the police."

Keroro gave a small nod and switched off.

 _Why... Why is Giroro so important?_ Natsumi wondered. She hoped to see him soon. The sooner she saw him, the sooner she could beat him and bring him back, so he couldn't target her friends and family. But at the same time, she didn't want anyone to learn about the mistake she had made. They'd think less of her. Spies weren't supposed to have slips of the tongue. They were masters of deception and disguise. And in a simple moment, she had ruined that.

"What was that about?" Koyuki asked. The attention was off of questioning Natsumi about Giroro. None of her friends had noticed that she was still distressed. They were all too curious about the big deal with Giroro.

"966's bodyguard, Giroro, has now been confirmed a rogue agent. Meaning he's a direct threat to our Agency, since he knows the in's and out's of us. It's our job to take him out," Keroro explained.

Natsumi felt herself slowly cluing into the conversation. So she was in even deeper trouble than she had thought. Giroro was a rogue agent, the one thing she had hoped he wasn't. He must have been pure evil if he had turned traitor to their Agency.

Or... she didn't want to consider this... maybe he had his reasons. And maybe they _hadn't_ been the heroes all the time.

"So... is that why he knew about the chips? B-because I didn't know about them..." Koyuki rubbed the back of her neck. Her primary concern wasn't Giroro, it was what Giroro had done to her. Taken her out of commission with just a click of a button.

"Yeah. Those chips usually are only implanted in full-time workers with their permission." He glanced at Saburo. "You know people out of high school."

"Then why did I have one?" Koyuki asked, looking very uncomfortable. "Why did Mois?"

"You both live here full-time. I'm sorry you didn't know about it, Koyuki. It must have been implanted in you without your knowledge or consent. You don't have parents or guardians to give it, so we technically count..." Keroro looked apologetic. "We were going to get around to telling you eventually."

"I thought you already knew," Mois whispered. "I knew about mine."

Koyuki just frowned and crossed her arms. She had not known. She looked very creeped out.

Mois touched her arm lightly. "It's in our best interest. You know, so there won't be any rogue agents like Giroro. Or so they can track us if we're kidnapped. It's just a safety procedure. But it can take some getting used to. You have to trust that they know what they're doing, though. Okay?" She smiled. "I got used to mine."

Koyuki sighed. "I guess you're right. Maybe I'm just a little uncomfortable because I've been here longer than you and yet I didn't know. But... it was in my best interests." Koyuki kept her hand away from the back of her neck.

Mois nodded and gave her a tight hug. "There! Forgiveness! That's how to respond!" she squeed. Koyuki hugged back.

"Hey... hey Keroro?" Momoka asked as Koyuki and Mois giggled and hugged each other. "Can I ask you something?" She seemed to be the only one still thinking about the fight and not her own interests. Koyuki and Mois were now having a hug-fight and Natsumi was still very out of it and shaken up.

"Sure," Keroro answered.

"Did you know Giroro?" she asked. "You seemed to instantly respond to the name when Natsumi gave it. Can you tell us more about him? Like how to beat him, perhaps? Every time we've fought, only Natsumi has stood a chance against him."

Keroro sighed and sat down, trying to get comfortable in his chair. "You guessed correctly - I did know him. I suppose you should be able to read between the lines. You're all spies, after all." He sighed. "Giroro... He used to be my friend. One of my best friends, in fact."

Natsumi finally snapped out of her trance. Giroro had been Keroro's best friend? But Keroro was so dumb. Did that say something about Giroro's intelligence as well? How would they even act as friends together? Would it just be constant fights like her and Keroro? Her head spun.

"What happened?" Natsumi asked. Had they gotten in a fight over a pretty girl, causing Giroro to leave? Or... knowing what Keroro had said in the car... maybe the fight had been over a pretty boy. Crud, now she was wondering if Giroro and 966 were boyfriends if vying for a boy's affection had driven Giroro off.

"I know those eyes," Mois noted, seeing Natsumi's head spin. "What did your brother tell you about jumping to conclusions?"

"My conclusions are weird and far-off without any information." Natsumi looked down sadly. Mois nodded, causing her to sigh. Yeah, it was unlikely that Giroro and Keroro had fought over somebody.

"Sit down. I assume you want to know about Giroro and why he left. I'm not going to keep secrets from you like the three heads. I'm going to tell you." Keroro rubbed his hands together. It was story time.

Everybody sat down except Saburo. He didn't really care. He just left the room to get medical attention.

Keroro took a deep breath to start his story. "So you four. More Peach Summer Snow. You're the Agency's alpha team, right?"

They all felt pride in that fact, yes, but what did this have to do with Giroro and Keroro's history.

"The idea to put you together came from the premise of putting four people with different strengths and skills together to make a super team. One strong, tough member would be the muscle, another stealth, another communications, and the last would be the leader, skilled in giving orders and strategy, charismatic," Keroro described.

They high-fived each other. That sounded like them. Natsumi, the leader - Momoka, the muscle - Koyuki, the stealth - and Mois, the communications.

"Truth is, you weren't the first team that this idea was tried out on. There was another four-person team before you. The public wasn't aware of this team, unlike yours, but they were trained. The hopes and dreams of the entire Agency rested on them. They were all extremely different, this team," he said again. "They had strengths, sure, but they had weaknesses, too. They covered each other's weaknesses and their strengths were more defined. More together." He was starting to ramble. Mois and Momoka scratched the backs of their heads.

"There was another team of four before us?" Natsumi knew that that wasn't completely unbelievable, but it was weird knowing there was another A-team.

"Yeah. This team had a super charismatic one skilled in leadership. Much more skilled than you, Natsumi." Keroro snickered.

Natsumi rolled her eyes. She assumed Keroro was talking about himself.

"Then there was the muscle. A gunsman, made to work in the front lines. There was the stealth - like Koyuki, skilled in spy work. And then there was a medic, a healer. She was very kind." Keroro whispered the last one.

"What happened to them?" Mois asked.

"I'm the last remnant of that group. We were all trained to be so perfect. I was chosen to be the one who would lead the Agency someday because of my strong leadership and visions. The others also had dreams that they were going to follow, but I suppose I'm the only one who stayed." Keroro looked sad for a moment. "My family had been in the Agency for a while, like yours, Natsumi. Actually, all of us were second-generation kids chosen for this A-team. I knew Giroro before the team was formed. He and I were best friends, but the two of us quickly made friends with the other two."

"So Giroro was the muscle, I'm guessing?" Momoka asked.

Keroro nodded. "A skilled gunsman. Everybody thought he was the perfect soldier. You only heard words of praise when Giroro's name was mentioned." He grinned, thinking about the good old days.

"Who were the other two?" Koyuki asked.

"The other two were, uhhhhh Zebobo, I think... No, Zeroro, that's what I'm pretty sure his name was! Ugh, I always mess it up. He came from a rich family working in mission control and had just moved into the city. He was a nice guy. We were best friends for a while. You should have seen us as kids, we had so much fun, pulling pranks and such... Usually which he got in trouble for. Hope he's not mad." Keroro got sidetracked, thinking about Zeroro.

Koyuki cleared her throat, waiting for the fourth one.

"The last one was Pururu. She was the only girl in our team. She was skilled with a needle, a great healer. She could sew up any wound on any mission. She was really kind, sort of like our team mom, always looking out for us." He gave a small smile.

"Sounds like a great team," Mois complimented.

"But why did Giroro leave?" Momoka was still confused. "Why aren't any of the rest of them around?"

Keroro was silent for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. "We... We were just like you all. Friends. The training was intense. Bones were broken, tears were shed... but we made it through. Everything just drove us closer together. We swore to be best friends forever. It was great. It didn't matter how tough the Agency was being on us, how little freedom we had... As long as we were together, we could do anything."

"Answer the question, man!" Momoka demanded. "I didn't ask you to tell me how much alike we all were. How did you split up?!"

"We graduated ranks. We went on missions. We became over-confident. One day, we were stuck with a really dangerous mission. And despite thinking we were good enough... Strong enough... We weren't. We failed. And Pururu... She died." Keroro closed his eyes, trying not to cry. His body was shaking.

Natsumi wondered briefly if she should say something to comfort him, but only one thought was going through her mind. _One of their members... died?_

The agency had always been a safe place where heroes resided. Never had any of them been in any _real_ mortal danger. But was that just Natsumi being over-confident? Had she just seen her spy work in a childish, overenthusiastic way?

Was she willing to put her life on the line? Is that why her mother had tried to prevent her from joining? Her mother had said it was dangerous...

Well, _she_ was willing to put her life on the line. But her team? No. The story of one member in a group of four hit a little close to home.

She looked over at Momoka, Mois, and Koyuki. She didn't want to imagine a single one dying. They were all her precious friends. Their gazes skittered around looking from place to place, seemingly thinking the same thing.

 _I was worried for my school when I realized I gave Giroro my real name. But I should really be worried for my TEAM during every encounter. 966... Giroro... They could hurt them. Just because I want to be a spy doesn't mean others' lives should be in danger._

They were all scared.

Natsumi grabbed Koyuki and Mois's hands, tightening her grip on them. Momoka held Mois's.

"Don't worry! Don't worry! The same thing won't happen for you! Besides this one mission with 966 that you've been forced into, I usually choose safe missions for you. Nowhere near that level," Keroro reassured them. "I'm going to keep you safe. None of you will die. Not like Pururu did. I'm going to do things right this time." He gave a small smile.

Natsumi hated Keroro. She liked fighting with him and calling him the stupid frog. But she felt she could trust these words. She looked over at Mois and Momoka. They were smiling, as if they agreed. The only one still frowning was Koyuki.

"We'll keep each other safe. We're team mates. Like sisters. There's nothing you can do for us that we can't. We're strong. We're warriors," she told him.

Keroro nodded. He wasn't their teammate. Only their boss. He could understand their distrust in him.

"So... what happened to Zeroro and Giroro? They didn't die..." Momoka reminded.

"The death of Pururu drove the three of us apart," Keroro went on. "None of us could bare to spend time with each other, being reminded too much of her. Zeroro and Giroro blamed the Agency and split from it. I, you know, _stayed_ , since it wasn't the Agency that killed her. It was just common sense to blame the real people responsible - the ones we were targeting. But Zeroro and Giroro blamed the circumstances the Agency put us in." He sighed. "I tried to convince them both to stay, but they didn't listen. Zeroro agreed with me that what the Agency did was necessary to keep the peace in the world, but... he thought that we weren't heroes. Said that we shouldn't carry ourselves like that. Because of his different ideas, he disappeared. Giroro told me honestly he just needed to be left alone, but hey, at least _he_ filed his resignation paperwork correctly, unlike Zeroro." Keroro tried to laugh at his own joke.

He stopped laughing at the harsh truth. "I... I never thought he'd go the route of super-villain henchman, though. I... I thought better of him. But the facts are clear. He's working for 966."

There was a silence that filled the room. No reassurance came to Keroro. How could they defend a villain? Nobody could.

 _I'm screwed,_ Natsumi thought to herself. No way would Giroro just let someone from the Agency not go through a miserable life. Her screw-up would cost her greatly.

* * *

Mois, Natsumi, Koyuki, and Momoka all sparred with dummies.

"Good going, mistress," Paul complimented as the Nishizawa guards watched. They were their trainers at the moment - nobody seemed much better. They would set up elaborate obstacle courses for the girls and watch over them safely, making sure they stayed hydrated and healthy during work outs.

Keroro leaned over the rails of the balcony above, watching the four girls train. Saburo had just been released from the medical bay, still wrapped up in bandages but cleared to at least walk around as long as he didn't go on any missions.

He glanced at the four, noticing their slowed movements and sad expressions.

"Koyuki, left!" Momoka ordered, trying to work on their teamwork.

"Yeah," Koyuki responded in a bland voice, her expression apathetic.

Natsumi's punches and kicks were erratic. Sometimes light and non-violent. Other times they were huge and her body shook in fear.

Mois just seemed kind of spacey. Paul had to shout orders to her five times before she clued in.

Saburo frowned at all of their actions, "Geez Keroro, you didn't tell them that sob story of yours about Pururu, did you? You know how bad it is for morale, talking about dead agents."

"They had to know someday," Keroro defended. "My team was the one theirs was based on - "

"You tell that story to _everyone_!" Saburo shouted. "It probably scared them. They're just teenagers. Momoka isn't older than fifteen. Natsumi's just barely eighteen. Mois and Koyuki may have grown up here, but they're still seventeen. Not even adults. They can't deal with this sort of stuff. Obviously they'd be scared of losing their friends. Especially in a team that requires them to care about the others."

"I'm sorry... I should have thought before I spoke. But I don't believe in keeping secrets from them - " Keroro tried to defend himself again.

Saburo pointed at their sucky training session. Their strength had clearly decreased due to their their worry. Keroro sighed.

"Girls! I've made a decision. At your current state, you won't be able to face Giroro or 966, so... I think I'm going to give you some time off. Think of it as vacation time!" he announced, smiling.

Natsumi's eyes widened. _No. I can't have some time off. Here in the Agency is where I'm Summer. Not Natsumi. It's where I'm safe._ "Current state? There's nothing wrong with us!"

"You're clearly very scared of losing each other," Keroro pointed out.

"We... We're strong," Natsumi proclaimed. She turned to Momoka, Koyuki, and Mois. "We won't turn out like them. None of us will die. Come on, we're spies! Heroes! We've done hundreds of missions. Koyuki's done thousands! We can do this." She tried to smile. To cheer them up. "The spy manual says never to be afraid—so we won't be." She showed everybody her little spy manual.

They sighed.

"Look. You don't have a choice. Have some time off to have fun. If Giroro shows up, call me. I'll deal with him. I won't let any of you die," Keroro promised.

Natsumi just frowned. She didn't want this.

* * *

They packed up their things before being dismissed for the week. Natsumi didn't know when Keroro would allow them back to work. When their mental health was more stable apparently. But she was still worried.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you. I'll protect all of you forever," Koyuki reassured. "I might not be older than you, Natsumi, but I am more experienced. Being here since birth is at least good for one thing. I'm strong." Koyuki gave a soft smile to all of her friends. Each one was important to her.

"Thanks," Natsumi smiled.

"It'll be nice to have some time off," Mois sighed. "I was thinking of expanding my romance novel collection. There's so many great works out there! Maybe I'll go see a play about a fairy tale... Ooh, I'm so excited!"

"I'm going to just spend the time with Fuyuki. But really, the vacation is no big deal," Momoka shrugged. She waved to the them and walked out of the locker rooms of the Agency with Mois.

Natsumi looked from side to side for cameras. There were none in the locker rooms, luckily. _I need to tell someone else about what I did. And out of all our team, I trust Koyuki the most. I need to make sure if something happens to me someone can protect Fuyuki._ "Koyuki... I need to talk to you." Natsumi tugged on her friend's sleeve.

Koyuki tilted her head to the side, confused. Natsumi's eyes looked so worried - something she wasn't used to from the girl. "What is it?"

"During our fight with Giroro... I slipped up. I screwed up big time. And it's been tearing me apart with worry ever since," she confessed. "I'm so scared of my mistake. What he'll do to me, my school... My brother... He'll tell 966. I've failed the mission"

"What did you do?" Koyuki asked.

"He asked for my name and... on impulse, I told him. I gave him my real name, not a code name." She swallowed. "He knows I'm Natsumi Hinata."

Koyuki's eyes widened at the seriousness of the situation. A flash of what could happen to Natsumi went through her head - a similar fate to Pururu. But she couldn't let Natsumi know how serious the situation was. She'd only worry. If she told anyone else, they'd scold her or see her unfit to be a spy. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," she said simply.

"You can't just brush something big like this off!" Natsumi insisted.

"I'll protect you even if it means killing Giroro." She pulled out a knife. "I will kill for you, Natsumi. And I promise you he will _not_ reveal your name."

Natsumi didn't know whether to be thankful or frightened. Koyuki was intense.

* * *

It was a lot of favors that Keroro had to pull in, a lot of playing with Natsumi's school system, but he managed to make their vacation time even better.

"I rigged things for you four girls, aren't I the best?" he bragged.

"I own that school, so uhhh nooo." Momoka put her hands on her sides and glared at him. Keroro cleared his throat.

"You'll be off on vacation in the country. On the beach! I arranged things so that the whole school will be going on a field trip, so you'll be able to hang out with your friends and unwind. To think about if... If you really want to be on this team." Keroro told them. "And Fuyuki will be able to go! It'll be a great time to just hang out with friends and not deal with all this spy stuff."

Momoka looked like she would squeal in happiness. Mois also looked pretty pleased about spending a week on a huge vacation.

"What about 966? What about Giroro?" Natsumi asked. "What if they attack? Who will deal with that whole issue?"

"I will," Saburo spoke up. "I'm taking over the 966 thing while you're gone. I'm pretty sure I can find him. The problem that I was experiencing before was that he was too underground, too hidden. But lately he's been all over the tabloids. The guy loves attention and getting news press. He needs to keep being in the public eye, so he's bound to strike. That's when I can figure out how to get him."

Natsumi swooned. Saburo was so cool! If anybody could track down 966 and figure out who he was, it was Saburo.

 _This is why I like him. Because he's the coolest._ She just gazed at his perfectly sculpted face. He awkwardly tried to side-step out of her gaze.

"Well... I guess have fun on your trip, then," Koyuki said awkwardly. She didn't go to their school and still wasn't allowed out. Natsumi snapped out of her trance.

 _This isn't right. Leaving Koyuki alone while we go on vacation so that OUR mental states are less appeased, but not hers._ "Stupid frog," Natsumi addressed Keroro. "Can Koyuki come, too? The whole point of this is so our mental health will be better. You can't just make three of us go and leave out one. I won't go unless you let her go, too."

Mois and Momoka glanced over at Koyuki, who was clearly feeling left out. "Agreed."

"Even me." Momoka frowned at Keroro. I won't go on the vacation with Fuyuki unless you let her go, too."

Keroro sighed. Usually he wouldn't give in. Koyuki had never been on the outside world before as a civilian. She thought climbing on ceilings was normal. But Natsumi was right. This was about their mental health. "Fine! I'll pull in one more favor! As long as you pretend she's your cousin, Natsumi, you can look after her," he groaned. "It won't be fun making up fake files for her so she exists on government records and they'll let her transfer to your school for a week as an 'exchange' student."

"Wait... I can go?" Koyuki looked so excited. She jumped four feet in the air. "YAHOO!"

"I'm so happy for you!" Natsumi grabbed Koyuki's hands and jumped with her. She was so pleased. Koyuki just giggled.

"The outside world is magic. It feels like fresh air. You'll love it," Mois told her. "I knew you'd get there eventually. Didn't I tell you?"

Koyuki nodded and just gave everybody a victorious hug. She was finally seeing the outside world for the first time.

* * *

The trip was, of course, more extravagant than Keroro had explained. After all, Momoka had to make herself included by making it expensive and trying her hardest to impress Fuyuki.

It took a while to pack, but soon enough, they were loading onto a posh train reserved for the entire student body, butlers waiting on students and everything.

 _She's going above and beyond. Fuyuki doesn't care about this after all. I doubt he even notices it. He's probably talking to her about how he's sure aliens use trains between planets that have invisible railroad tracks._ Natsumi sighed.

"You know, Momoka. This reminds me of one of my theories about space travel. I mean, space ships are cool. They're alien crafts. But I think, with alien tourism, the aliens use trains with invisible train tracks..." Fuyuki ranted on their train ride.

"That's so interesting, Fuyuki! Tell me more!" Momoka pleaded. Fuyuki rubbed the back of his head.

"Y-you really think it's interesting?" He was grinning from ear to ear. "Well, I suppose I could tell you more about my theories..."

Natsumi sighed. _What does she see in him? Momoka could do way better than my brother._ It was time to end the era of girls going for guys who were way less cool than they were.

Koyuki held onto Natsumi's arm as the two of them loaded into the train. It was filled with noise - all the students were chattering, giving them the perfect opportunity for a subtle conversation.

"Natsumi..." Koyuki chewed on a pencil, sitting across from her on the train. Natsumi looked out the window at the clouds, trying to imagine what Saburo thought when he looked at them. "What would you do if one our members died?"

Natsumi's head spun toward Koyuki. The conversation had quickly taken a dark turn. Maybe all of Koyuki's tough talk had been for them instead of her. Koyuki was helpful to her, but was she helpful _enough_?

"Are you worried?" Natsumi asked.

Koyuki shook her head. "No. I was just wondering what we'd do in their situation. Let me restate the question. If one of our members died, would you stay with the Agency?" Natsumi tried to examine her face for fear, any sign if she was joking. But just a serious gaze shone at her. Like Koyuki was observing her.

"Of course. The Agency... They're my heroes. They're the absolute good in the world. In a way, I worship them, because I firmly believe in what we're doing. I wouldn't do it if I didn't," she said simply. "I hate to say this, but I agree with the stupid frog. Blaming Pururu's actual killers was the way to go, not the Agency. They couldn't have saved her." She shrugged. "I would never agree with Giroro. Becoming a supervillain is just a coward's way out."

Koyuki nodded, listening. "I agree. I wouldn't do what Giroro did. I don't agree with him. But... I'm not sure if I agree with Keroro, either."

"Huh?" Natsumi was a bit confused. It was simple black and white. You either stayed with the Agency because they weren't the perpetrators, or you blamed them and tried to fight them like Giroro.

"The Agency isn't a hero. It's a network of many different people. But altogether, the Agency isn't really a villain, either. Society needs them more than it knows. Pururu was a... a casualty, sadly," Koyuki told her. "I think it would be safer for everyone and there would be less casualties if we did more investigations on intel and information, opposed to this silly superhero stuff. You know, dealing with things behind the scenes instead of up front. The populace doesn't understand us..."

Natsumi nodded. That was an interesting viewpoint. She didn't agree with it, but she understood that stakes had to be made for the safety of the people. She didn't know Koyuki didn't see them as heroes. "So you agree with the one named Zeroro, then? Out of the three of them... He's not a super-villain, but he did leave because of that viewpoint."

Koyuki thought to herself a moment. "I don't know. I've never met him."

Natsumi nodded. They could play hypothetical games, but if they didn't know the true viewpoints, they couldn't exactly agree. And Koyuki was smart enough not to agree with a guy she didn't know.

She tried to keep it out of her mind. This was a vacation, after all. None of that was important at the moment.

All that was important was fun. Resting. Becoming less frightened. And Natsumi was going to try to make her team feel the safest and happiest they could be.

* * *

 **Dororo was mentioned in this chapter so I think I've fulfilled my Dororo promise. See. He exists.**

 **Please review!**


	6. Battle on a Train

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

 **More highschool drama. yaaaaaaaaaaayyy...I know about how excited you are for that.**

* * *

Koyuki giggled again as the train started up. They were finally moving. They'd probably be on the train all day to get where they were going, but she didn't care. It was just all so exciting to be somewhere so new! To be able to pretend she was a normal girl. "These seats are so soft!" She squeezed the cushion under her, captivated by its soft velvety texture.

Natsumi sighed as she looked out the window. Koyuki was her best friend, sure... But she still felt a little lonely. _I just assumed that since this vacation was made for us that, you know, our other team members would be here!_ She was almost irritated at Momoka and Mois for not sitting with her. Just like always, they were off doing other things in other cars.

 _We should be working through our problems together. As a team,_ Natsumi thought to herself. And they couldn't do that if Mois was prioritizing high school clubs over spy work and Momoka was prioritizing Fuyuki.

"Natsumi? Natsumi?" Koyuki moved her face closer to Natsumi's, as if to get her to pay attention to her. "Is something upsetting you?"

"I'm just a little annoyed. Mois and Momoka aren't sitting with us. I mean, I like you... but we're a team. We should all be together. I don't want to exclude the rest," Natsumi explained.

Koyuki nodded. "Momoka's probably off with Fuyuki, don't worry about it. And Mois told me she'd sit with us once she looked around the train."

Natsumi smiled. Well, that was one down. And if she was being honest with herself she was more annoyed at Mois ditching her than Momoka. After all, she didn't know why Momoka had a big crush on Fuyuki - he was a dork - but it suited her purposes. They were a cute couple and if they ended up getting married or anything like that, she wouldn't have any complaints.

In fact, if she really wanted to become a better friend to Momoka. Perhaps she just should respect that Momoka's priorities were different than hers, and to let off some steam, she didn't want to hang out with her co-workers and wanted to hang with Fuyuki instead. Maybe Momoka would eventually reach out to Natsumi for help and see her as a cool older sister.

Natsumi grinned. She'd love that. _They are a pretty adorable couple. Everybody in the agency kind of knows they'll be a thing someday. I just have to support them more openly. That we'll make Momoka and me more connected,_ she reminded herself. And shipping Momoka and Fuyuki wasn't a hard task in the least bit.

* * *

"Have you ever tried tea leaves dusted in gold? It's very soothing." Momoka offered Fuyuki a cup of tea. She tried to be flirtatious, batting her eyelashes and smiling at him.

"Hahaha, I have to say I haven't. Um... but don't feel like you have to give me any! It's fine!" he assured her.

Momoka frowned. Fuyuki never wanted any gifts. "Don't you love sitting across each other and being able to just stare lovingly at each other?"

"I lost you there," Fuyuki admitted. "What you say again?"

Momoka wanted to twist the napkin in her hands into pieces. Fuyuki was so incredibly dense! But instead of twisting some cloth to shreds, she put her hand on Fuyuki's, trying not to lose her cool.

Fuyuki stared at her, not sure what she was trying to do. _Maybe she's trying ESP? Why else would she be talking about looking at each other and holding my hand?_ Fuyuki couldn't piece it together. He wasn't a spy, so he didn't do deducing. Sure, the agency had tried to recruit him, but government conspiracies weren't really his thing unless it had to do with the Men in Black or aliens. _Oh well, even if she is failing at ESP, she's pretty cute._ Momoka was a cute girl. He was lucky to have her as a friend.

"Can I ask you something, Nishizawa?" he said.

"You can call me Momoka if you want. I do work pretty closely with your sister." She batted her eyelashes again. Maybe he wanted to ask her out?

"Why did you choose me to befriend out of this whole school? I mean, you're really cool and you could be even more popular if you didn't hang around my Occult Club. And although I'm really happy to be your friend, I'm not sure what makes me so special. Why hang out with me when you could hang out with sis?"

Momoka blinked. Was he insecure about their friendship? That was cute. Maybe she _was_ making progress with him. "Do you remember the first day you learned about the agency, Fuyuki?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "It was roughly when Natsumi started working. Since Natsumi had figured out about it, Mom didn't want me to be the last one in the dark and told me. She gave me a tour and told me that I could start working too, but I refused. Why?"

"We met that day. I was coming back from a mission. I had failed in trying to take over a satellite that belonged to my father. He gave it to me anyway but I didn't earn it and I was pretty bummed out. Do you remember what happened after that?"

"I think. You were crying and punching the walls in anger... I didn't know you were trying to take over your own things. But I stopped my tour to comfort you and talk you through whatever was bothering you. Then we went off together and you were all cheered up," he recalled.

"Yes... being thirteen can be an emotional time." Momoka frowned. She had mostly been crying about her father one-upping her rebellion by just giving her things instead of letting her rightfully take them. "You didn't know who I was but sacrificed your time to me anyway. You were kind. And I appreciated that. That's what made me choose you to be my friend. Because I have never met someone as kind and interesting as you."

Fuyuki grinned. "You're a cool person too!" He pat her on the head.

Momoka was so happy. She would treasure that head pat forever.

* * *

"I'm here! Finally!" Mois took a seat next to Koyuki, still catching her breath from the jog over. "Sorry I took so long getting here. You could say, busy as a bee? I wanted to just get clearance from the cheer team that we weren't working on anything this week, and then I got stopped by a bunch of admirers and things like that. Lots of work!" She nodded. "Now I've seen most of the train. It's pretty impressive."

Natsumi couldn't help but smile. Mois was busy, but she couldn't help but be pleased that she had chosen them in the end and had come to them.

"Pretty big?" Natsumi asked.

Mois nodded. "Amazingly." And they had a lot of space to themselves, too.

The door of the train opened and Natsumi halfway expected Momoka to come join their seats. Instead, it was a kid with short red hair, a lollipop in his mouth, and a school uniform that didn't match anyone else's - it looked more like an elementary schooler's, with its tiny shorts an navy blue color scheme.

Natsumi frowned, for she instantly knew who it was. He had been quite the rage before Mois had transferred to the school. His moniker, "prince," described him perfectly - adorable yet bratty, with boys and girls left and right fawning over him. He managed to con sweets and snacks out of many he spoke with, and he acted so privileged like he was royalty. Like he was some sort of sweet little idol child. But he wasn't royalty. He was just was Tamama.

Five girls followed him. They looked as if they were off-brand scouts from Sailor Moon. They were all that remained of his fans, acting like maids to him now.

"Thought you'd just get out of the spotlight by heading to an empty car, huh, woman?" Tamama asked. "Well, you can't get away from me that easily. I know how evil you are... stealing my admirers! You're going to have to own up to your crimes eventually." He tried to lick his lollipop, like he was cool _and_ cute. Buuut... he just looked like a child.

"Tamama." Natsumi frowned. Tamama glanced at her. He didn't really know Natsumi that well besides the one baking class they had taken together in 10th grade. He liked her sweets. He gave his nod of approval, like he was a king.

"It's nice to see you, Tamama." Mois was used to dealing with people - jealous people, admirers, all sorts. Tamama did purposely bully her and antagonize her, but she never let it get her down. Either that or she hadn't realized it was Tamama yet. But she couldn't be that dumb, could she? "What is it that you need? Do you want to take a picture with me, too?"

Tamama hissed. His eyes twitching in a rage. "Stop acting like I love you! Not everything is about you, woman! I know about how much of a whore you are! Nobody likes you."

"Natsumi, what does whore mean?" Koyuki asked.

"It's a bad word. Don't say it."

Koyuki frowned. Tamama shouldn't be using bad words toward Mois.

"Why did you come here? Was it just to be mean?" Koyuki asked. Tamama laughed maniacally.

"No! Of course not! I'm not dark or mean. I'm lovely." He paused. "CAN'T YOU SEE I'M CUTE AND LOVABLE?" His eyes dilated, but then he giggled cutely. "I'm going to earn back my fans and this school from your grips, woman. I'm challenging you to a fight."

"A fight?" Natsumi was shocked. "Tamama, she's not really a fighter... And fighting for the position of 'most cute in the school' just seems wrong." Kind of defeated the purpose. She could imagine tough guys getting in fights, but not really Tamama and Mois.

"I don't want to fight you, Tamama. You're so cute and nice! What if one of us gets hurt?" Mois asked.

"That's the point!" Tamama growled, annoyed by her stupidity. "Oh, so now you're worried about my safety? You weren't so much on the first day of school when you accidentally knocked _a flower pot onto my head_ from your classroom!"

"That was an accident - it was quite unfortunate," she explained. That flower hadn't deserved to die.

"Then you tripped on a hose that got me caught... Then you created a vial of _I don't know what_ in chemistry and it exploded all over me... And that's only three things on the first day! By the end of the day, the fire department had to come save me from a burning tree!" Tamama crossed his arms.

Koyuki laughed. "Ah! This is what you call a joke, right?"

Natsumi pressed her hand on Koyuki's arm. "No. Uhhh, all that actually happened. Tamama had terrible luck and he's hated Mois ever since." She looked to the ground. But she was really thinking about something completely different. If Mois accepted this fight with Tamama, she might blow her cover. Obviously she was way better at fighting than him, since she was a spy who had been trained her whole life.

Mois was smart enough not to compromise anything, though. She shared a glance with her and nodded.

But Tamama had other ideas. "If you don't fight me, you're a coward. And I'll know you're just an evil, scared woman who can't bare to face me." He awaited her acceptance of the fight.

"I don't want to fight. I won't fight you," she said. "You can tell everybody I refused or lost or something. I don't really care."

Tamama felt personally insulted.

"I'll do it," Koyuki spoke up. "I'll fight in her place. I won't let you insult my friend's honor." She didn't really understand the problem with fighting - that she'd have a distinct advantage and might blow her cover.

Natsumi tugged at her sleeve. "Koyuki, it doesn't work that way." But Koyuki's gaze was cold.

"I won't let you call Mois mean names. Why isn't anyone else defending her?" Koyuki asked.

"I'll accept it. We'll fight over that woman," Tamama shrugged. Natsumi slapped her forehead. Koyuki was going to compromise her identity!

"Go, Koyuki! Defend me!" Mois cheered, getting po- poms out of a bag to cheer her on. Koyuki stood in front of Tamama.

"You won't last a second," Koyuki warned.

"Yeah, yeah. Say that after you fight me." Tamama took up a stance used in martial arts. Koyuki darted at him with her lightning speed.

Natsumi had never seen someone who was more experienced than Koyuki, or was faster and better. But Tamama managed to keep up with her blows as he sparred with her. He twirled around craftily, calling moves that would have been out of a manga like "Dragon Punch" and such.

Neither of them used weapons; they both fought with hand-to-hand combat. But Tamama was never one-upped. Natsumi knew Koyuki wasn't holding back.

 _No... No way... he can't be... a spy, could he? He's so strong._ She had never seen this from Tamama. By the end of the fight, Koyuki and Tamama were both breathing quite heavily, with Koyuki slightly beaten. She wasn't injured, though. Tamama was nearly as battered as her.

"You're pretty strong. Honestly I'm not as fast as you. The only reason I was slightly better was because your foot work was a little off. If you had moved your foot to the left when doing that final strike, I would have been finished," Tamama advised, being much more patient than Natsumi had ever seen from him before.

Koyuki bowed. "Th-thank you. It was an honor sparring with you."

"Since I respect your martial arts abilities, I suppose I'll recede my insults of that woman till... say... tomorrow?" Tamama suggested.

Koyuki nodded with a smile.

"Woo-hoo! That ended in the best way possible! In friendship!" Mois cheered.

"Don't make me regret my decision," Tamama growled.

 _What just happened...?_ Natsumi was totally confused. "Um... uhh... How are you so...?"

"Where'd you learn that? I've never seen moves like that before." Koyuki finished Natsumi's sentence.

"I don't talk about it much at school because I don't meet many people who are interested, but my family actually owns a well-renowned martial arts dojo! I've been training and competing since I was little," said Tamama. "I work with little trainees a lot, too."

Natsumi was impressed. It wasn't spy work. It was simple, but he was good. He definitely had skill.

If the Agency knew about him, they'd definitely recruit him.

"Master Tamama is the best!" one of his fans swooned.

Tamama beamed. Then he turned to Mois. "So... woman... You sure you can't fight me? If your friend trained you, maybe you'd stand a one percent cha - okay, still no chance." He smiled, liking that he was better than her at something.

He glanced over to his hated rival, but she wasn't even paying attention anymore. She was posing by the window and taking selfies, making kissey faces.

"What are you doing?!" Tamama asked, distraught that he wasn't being paid attention to.

"Taking selfies! Have you heard about them? They're great. I was, like, _so_ cute cheering you on, I thought I'd send some pictures to my boyfriend. You could say, capturing the moment?"

Tamama growled and pulled at his hair, walking off. His fans wailed and followed him out of the train car. He was done with this. He needed a parfait to replenish the brain cells lost on Mois.

Koyuki took a seat to gather her breath after the fight. She looked at Mois's phone oddly as she added various effects to her selfies. "Boyfriend?" Mois barely talked about her boyfriend in the Agency, so Koyuki didn't really know about him. She didn't even know she had one till. "Do you mean Tamama? But he was so mean to you..." She was confused. "Or is he your friend that is a boy? Like Saburo?"

Natsumi shook her head. Saburo was off-limits!

"She's dating someone at school for her cover," Natsumi explained. "It probably helps keep the admirers from hitting on her too harshly..." Koyuki was even more confused with the term "hitting." "Flirting," she explained.

"Yeah, he's super cute," Mois giggled. "He's on a different train car right now. He has to finish up some homework, but I promised him I'd spend some time with him on this vacation... We were talking about how it would be our first vacation as a couple. I think we're even rooming together." She glanced at Natsumi and Koyuki. "Sorry, guys! I guess I'll have to leave you then, too. I would have liked to share a slumber party with you, but you know..." She blushed awkwardly.

"Are you sure you're pretending for this cover?" Natsumi asked incredulously. Mois was ditching them to hang out with someone else. THEY should come first!

Mois blinked, remembering suddenly that she had told them that. "Oh yeah! Definitely!"

"Then why are you 'rooming with him,' and I quote?" Natsumi raised an eyebrow. "I don't even know how the school let you room with a boy... I don't even know why _Keroro's_ letting you room with a boy!"

"Ummm... well uh... the short answer is they don't know." She fumbled. "I-I was tutoring him in computer science for one of his classes and all, and taught him how to hack so to, uhh, apply it to the real world..."

"He changed it so you were rooming with him?" Natsumi raised an eyebrow. "Okay, so let me get this straight. First of all you taught some civilian how to hack - a valuable skill in our line of work but also _dangerous -_ and second, with this knowledge he used it to _get some_?"

"W-we're not... We-We, umm... W-we really haven't done that yet, really! Believe me! I only go to his apartment to tutor him! I'm in love with Keroro!" Her face was bright red.

Even Natsumi could tell she was lying. Man, Mois was really screwed if somebody found out she was doing it with a civilian. Both literally _and_ metaphorically.

"Wait, if you're dating a guy... does that mean you've kissed him?" Koyuki's eyes were wide and innocent. The Agency hadn't told her anything about relationships and that was the only thing she had gathered through the conversation. "What's that like?"

"Yeah, what is it like, Mois, to kiss your totally-just-for-a-cover boyfriend?" Natsumi teased.

Mois covered her face. "W-we don't kiss that much. We're—We're mostly innocent... hand-holding here and there... We don't kiss and do naughty things..."

" _Couples vacation_!" Natsumi teased in a sing song voice. "You totally do!"

Mois just blushed more. It was kind of funny to see her like this. Natsumi pulled her into a hug, giggling.

"I like Keroro!" she defended again.

"Sure you do." Natsumi rolled her eyes. She sometimes believed her and other times didn't. Now was one of the times she didn't.

"I mean, she might. She always did idolize him when we were growing up, even though he was five years older than her," Koyuki shrugged. "So who knows?"

Natsumi did. And that girl was lying.

"So what's your boyfriend like? How'd you meet?" Koyuki had never met him. She wanted to know about these things that nobody had ever told her about.

"She had to tutor the dumb guy. He's failing math and science," Natsumi explained. "I haven't met him, but I'm _pretty sure_ at this point he's just failing to get a cute girl like Mois to pay attention to him," she teased. "I mean, she's so cute, he'd _have_ to do something like that to get ahead of the other guys!"

Mois laughed. "It's probably true," she agreed. "You say he's dumb, but he's actually really really smart! He obviously knows the school material, maybe levels beyond. I wouldn't be surprised if he became a famous scientist someday. He's so creative..." She bragged a little bit, leaning her head on her hands as she thought about him.

Natsumi honestly thought Mois was putting on her rose-tinted glasses. If he was that smart, why was he failing school in the first place?

The door slid open.

"Ohh and the best thing about him is he's so incredibly sweet and kind - " Mois continued talking.

"Sounds kind of like a dork." Natsumi didn't even eye the person entering the train car. Nothing was suspicious about three girls talking about boys. It was probably someone of no importance that didn't have anything to do with them. "Face the facts, Mois. Your boyfriend is a dork!"

The one who had entered the train car frowned and walked over to Mois, tapping her on the shoulder.

"He's not a dork. He's - " She turned around. "Kululu! You're here!" She squealed and reached up to him in a hug.

The student named Kululu smiled. Natsumi noted that he even _dressed_ like a dork - his yellow t-shirt and baggy pants didn't suit him, a set of headphones was nestled around his neck, and had his long purple hair tied up in a ponytail. At least his hair was fashionable, it was probably the only thing about him that was. He was slim and much taller than Mois.

If Mois was using her boyfriend as a cover for her disguise, she had chosen right. Unimportance seeped from this guy. _Nobody_ would look for a spy in his girlfriend.

"Got your texts. Thought I'd come over and visit. Thought you'd be lonely over here... Guess was wrong," Kululu told her.

Mois giggled and pulled him down into a short kiss. "I'm happy to see you!"

Kululu gave sort of a dorky, love-struck smile. Natsumi had seen so many guys had her school give Mois the same expression. So many of them were under her spell. The only difference was that this guy looked to be an even lower standard than Keroro.

"Who are these?" Kululu inquired, glancing at Natsumi and Koyuki through his oversized glasses. "I don't recognize them from your cheer squad."

Mois giggled. "Kululu comes to all our games and competitions. He's a big fan." Her hand slunk down to his and held it.

"Well, you're so darn cute in your cheer uniform, there's no real downside to going," he said with a smirk.

And there it was. Already a down-side in his personality. He was a perv. Natsumi just frowned. Her first time meeting Mois's boyfriend and she already didn't like him. A dork and a perv wasn't good enough for her friend.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I need to introduce you. This is my friend Natsumi, and her cousin Koyuki." Mois went with their cover story for Koyuki. "Natsumi, Koyuki, this is my boyfriend Kululu. You're finally meeting him in the flesh!" She presented him proudly.

Kululu nodded to Natsumi and Koyuki, as if trying to be polite. "You're the one Mois has lunch with, right?" he asked. "I've heard a bit about you."

"I've heard a bit about you too," Natsumi said blandly. She narrowed her eyes at him.

Kululu glanced at Koyuki for a moment, as if thinking about something.

"Careful, Mois, your boyfriend is straying. Maybe you should oh... I don't know, break up with him?" Natsumi tried to joke but delivered it in a monotonous voice on accident. She _really_ didn't like this guy. And it wasn't because he was unlikable - she just didn't trust him. He was not good enough for a perfect girl like Mois.

Mois sat down in her seat, pulling Kululu down next to her. "I don't see anything like that." She glanced at Kululu, who had pulled his gaze off of Koyuki the moment Mois had looked at him and was now inspecting the table - obviously guilty. He had been looking at her quite deeply, as if thinking about something.

Natsumi frowned. _Guilty! Guilty! If you dare cheat on my friend, even if she's lying to you and using you, I don't care what happens I WILL DESTROY YOU, you pathetic slimeball!_ she hissed in her thoughts.

"So what you been doing? Did the teachers give you the extension for the paper you needed?" Mois asked concernedly, leaning her head against Kululu's shoulder.

"Yeah. I had to plead with them. As you know my grade is oh so important to me." Was that sarcasm Natsumi detected? " When I teared up, they instantly gave me an extension."

"You poor thing. If you ever need to cry, I'm always here." Mois fell for the pathetic display.

Kululu frowned. "You know I really didn't — Never mind."

 _I bet he did start crying. How pathetic,_ Natsumi thought to herself. She had wondered what Momoka saw in Fuyuki, but she knew less of what Mois saw in Kululu.

There was a moment of silence as Mois just leaned against Kululu's arm, cuddling up to him. Koyuki looked out of the train window.

Finally, Kululu spoke. "Does it occur to any of you how odd it is that we're having a field trip all of a sudden? It was such a last-minute addition to our school curriculum. We weren't told about it in the syllabus in the beginning of the year, so then... why is it happening? Aren't any of you suspicious of that?" he asked. "Because I sure am."

Common sense, perhaps, but it was an oddly intellectual statement. Such insights were something to be suspicious of, since the agency had arranged it for their mental health. For them. And Natsumi suddenly wondered how suspicious Kululu really was.

But maybe that was because she didn't trust him. She instantly hadn't. Call it a gut feeling - something was off about him. But perhaps that was her own bias because he was Mois's girlfriend.

"I guess," Mois shrugged, trying to ease his worries by pretending she was on his side. "But does it matter? I'm just so excited to go on vacation with you! I hear there's going to be a beach. I brought my swimsuit... Ah, it's going to be so fun!"

"Swimsuit?" Kululu asked, instantly distracted. "How does it look?"

"Surprise," she giggled.

Natsumi grinned. She knew what Mois was doing - distracting him. She could play along. "I bet your admirers will go crazy! All those boys who wish you were their girlfriend... They'll love seeing you in something so cute!"

Kululu's smile dropped. He seemed to be struggling to find the words to respond to that with. Natsumi briefly wondered how he felt about Mois's admirers, if they had spoken about it.

"Well of course they'll love her. She's super cute," he finally said. "We won't be on the beach very long. Too crowded. I-I know you wouldn't be able to tell this by looking at me, but I'm very shy," he confessed.

 _Liar! You don't look shy at all! You just don't want Mois around other people! What, too afraid to say that you're jealous?_ Natsumi thought.

"Don't worry, I know. We'll try to find an uncrowded area. And thanks again for being so patient that so many people have crushes on me. I know you get kind of uncomfortable about it," said Mois.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kululu lied. "Anyway, Natsumi, tell me more about your cousin. I've never seen her at school."

Natsumi just frowned. Yet again interested in Koyuki. So she made up stories as Mois suspected nothing.

* * *

Once they got to the beach, butlers and waitstaff came to unload their suitcases to their proper rooms.

"We're going to go off. Kululu says there's a nice ice cream place here and, well, it's a date and all - " Mois looked apologetic.

"Hey. I'm stealing your friend. Sorry," Kululu waved. Natsumi nodded and watched them walk off together hand in hand.

They wouldn't last. She was sure of it.

Now she only had Koyuki to hang out with for the week. They could probably play beach ball and volley ball on the beach.

Overall, the first day was fun. Natsumi saw Mois every now and then with Kululu. Momoka constantly flirt with Fuyuki.

Tamama tried to antagonize Mois. And Natsumi spent time trying to get all four girls together so they could actually work through their problems together - as a team.

Eventually, even she wanted her alone time. It was early morning of the third day of their vacation. She had a craving for some yogurt cups that were only sold in the local convenience store.

Being sure not to wake Koyuki up, she left a note and sneaked out, unaware that floods were predicted for that day.

She walked out in the rain to the store. _Pretty gloomy._ Entering the store, she tried to talk to the store clerk, but there was nobody there.

 _Did everybody leave?_ Natsumi wondered. She turned around, but the doors were closed shut. Water was half way up to the door. It was a flash flood. The store clerk must have left before closing.

"Well, this is just great. I love being trapped in flash floods alone! Perfect start for a day!" She kicked at a rack and saw her favorite book _How to Be a Spy_ fall down. "Ohh! Sorry!" She picked it up and laughed. Who was she talking to? Nobody was there.

"Something wrong?" Natsumi could feel a familiar gruff voice behind her. She spun around and saw her enemy standing before her - Giroro. Her face chilled and her eyes widened.

She was supposed to be on break. She didn't even have her mask with her. She reached down into her boot to pull out a knife that she hid just in case she was attacked. Giroro threw up his hands.

"Hey! Don't attack!" he warned her. "It wouldn't do any good capturing me. We're trapped here for a good long while, anyway. And it would be hard to keep me contained for that long."

"You're my enemy. You probably came here to attack me," Natsumi hissed. "Once you knew my name after looking up my school probably wasn't much harder..."

Giroro held up a bag. "Actually, I came to buy cat food. Like a normal person." He coughed awkwardly. "And apparently got stuck in the flood same as you." He looked at the rack that Natsumi had knocked down in her anger. He chuckled. "Is that the _How to Be a Spy_ manual?"

"Y-yeah, so?" Natsumi asked, trying to sound cool and composed. It wasn't her favorite book. She wasn't a dweeb for spies.

"If you're serious about being my enemy and fighting me, you should give it a read. The author is rather credible." Giroro cleared his throat. "I personally prefer his _How to Be a Super-villain._ A pretty good read."

Natsumi smiled on impulse. Giroro was the first person she had met who hadn't insulted her spy manual. "Really, you think? I'm actually a big fan!"

"Oh? I bet you aren't that big of a fan!" Giroro got competitive. "How many of his books have you read?"

"Well, only this one, but I went to the book signing and got all of the spy merchandise! I loved it when I was a kid. And I've stayed loyal to it." Natsumi crossed her arms.

"I suppose I can't defend that I've stayed loyal. I switched allegiances to his other books... I admit I, too, was once a spy fan. But I've probably been to more book signings than you!" he insisted.

"No way!" Natsumi told him. "I've been to seventeen."

"Seventeen," Giroro agreed.

Natsumi smiled and giggled despite herself. "No! Wait! No you don't!" She glared accusingly at him. "You can't just charm me by liking my favorite author! You're my enemy and I'm going to take you back to the agency and I hate you, and I will not give you the satisfaction of seeing me smile!"

Giroro grinned. Seeing her all competitive about not smiling was a side of his enemy he hadn't seen. It was cute. And it was fun. "I wonder if we're stuck here so long... How many other interests we'll discover we share? Favorite food?"

"I'm not telling you." Natsumi stubbornly stamped her foot.

"Mine's sweet potatoes," he said.

"Darn." She cursed. That was hers, too.

"Favorite color?"

Natsumi narrowed her eyes. He already knew it was probably red, like her spy outfit. "What is this? Speed dating? Stop asking me useless questions!"

"I'm just trying to get to know you. I honestly think you'd make a great arch-nemesis. I'm just seeing how compatible we are," he said.

"Uhhh... arch-nemeses don't need to know those sort of things. Those are dating questions! What do you think _happens_ between arch-nemeses?"

"They hate each other to the point of wanting to battle constantly. It's a true, deep hate," he figured. "But deep down, they trust each other and care deeply about each other's well being... to the point of being the one that only fights the other - a monogamous relationship of fighting. The so-called hero doesn't want their villain antagonizing others, and the villain doesn't want the hero fighting off other villains. They never say they care about each other, but they do. And everybody can tell," he said in a heartbeat.

Natsumi _did_ laugh this time. "That sounds like a soap opera or some sort of romance novel. Didn't take you as a romantic."

Giroro blushed. "I'm not! That's how it goes. I mean... I had other options besides you... Really!"

Natsumi laughed at Giroro. If she was stuck with him, she might as well enjoy this. "Really? I think you're just saying that to make me jealous or something."

"Is it working?" Giroro asked pathetically.

"No. I don't date villains."

"I don't want to date! I want to fight!" he defended.

Natsumi rolled her eyes. She knew that, but she still thought his childish dreams were kind of funny, although similar to how childish her views were toward spying.

She sat down, waiting for the flood waters to stop rising. Her heart was still beating quickly. Giroro still had valuable information on her, although she was becoming less and less frightened of him. That had it ups and downs - it would now be more difficult to fight him if she saw him as an actual person. "So you really didn't come here to attack me?" she asked.

"No. I was just getting cat food," Giroro answered honestly.

"I didn't know villains did normal things like that. Will 966 allow you to let me go free?"

Giroro shrugged. "I'm not working right now. He called up last-minute and gave me a week of vacation time."

Natsumi raised an eyebrow. That was weird. "My bosses never give us vacation time."

"You should join 966, then. He's kind of inconsistent about vacation time, calling up last-minute to cancel plans and such, but at least he'll _let_ you relax sometimes."

"I won't ever join him," Natsumi insisted. She was a bit envious about getting to be off duty so much. "So... what do you do besides be a horrible jerk that likes beating on my friends?"

"I play with my cat." Giroro shrugged. "Her name is Miss Furbottom. Want to see her? I carry around pictures all the time."

Natsumi raised an eyebrow, but looked at the pictures as Giroro sat on the floor with her. Seemed he didn't have much else in his life besides his work and his cat.

It was the exact opposite of what she thought he'd be like.

The two of them talked to pass the time, even if Natsumi was still afraid of what he would do with the information of her name. But he didn't act like a villian. He just acted like a normal guy.

Maybe it was because she was seeing him off-hours, but weirdly enough, he didn't seem to have any pretenses like so many of her friends did. It wasn't his "civilian personality." It was just him. And seeing the real him, getting to be the real her - it was kind of fun.

By the time the water had gone down, Natsumi felt like she was prepared to maybe put the past behind her about her screw-up. "Did... Did you tell 966 my real name?"

"No? Why would I?" Giroro asked.

"I wasn't supposed to give it. It was just an accident. I can't believe I made such a dumb mistake." Her shoulders slumped. It was even worse that she was showing this weakness to her enemy. That he held power over her through this.

He nodded. "I won't tell anyone. Don't worry. It would be disrespectful to our bond as enemies to sell the information you've given me."

She frowned. He wasn't supposed to be so nice about it, even if she was thankful. It made him harder to hate. And she was the only one out of them that could beat him.

"Thanks, I suppose," she waved. She let him go free, as long as she got to leave as well. It was out of respect for him not telling anyone about her name.

"Consider the arch-nemesis thing, Natsumi. Really," he added.

"Your version of it? Nah." She rejected, waving. "Rejoin the Agency and maaaaybe you'll have like a 10% chance of dating me."

"I don't want to date you!" Giroro called after her.

She just walked off, smiling. Little victories were fun over her enemies.

* * *

 **You got Fuyumomo this chapter. Gironatsu. Tamama was finally introduced along with Kululu.**

 **Please review.**


	7. Caught in the Crossfire

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

* * *

The fourth day of break. In three days Natsumi hoped her team would be ready to face 966 again. Although she wasn't quite sure. They hadn't really done the reasonable thing of talk about their worries together. Momoka was too busy wooing Fuyuki and Mois was hanging out with Kululu.

But finally, the two other girls relented and gave up their time to Natsumi.

"I didn't want to spend _no_ time with you during break! I made sure to balance some of my time appropriately," Momoka told her. Fuyuki could find other things to do. It wasn't like five hundred girls would fall in love with him while she was gone, right?

On the other hand she wasn't too sure about that.

"Yeah! We'll spend today together. I promise." Mois extended her pinkie. "Fuyuki and Kululu can find other things to do. It isn't right to just leave you," she agreed. Really, Kululu had told her he'd be busy today trying to study for a math test or something. But nobody really needed to know that.

Natsumi grinned. Finally, the vacation was turning out just like she planned.

* * *

She sat sunbathing on the beach in her pink swimsuit. Sunglasses on and lying down as flat as she could, she let herself soak in the suns rays.

Mois made a sand castle in front of her and Koyuki tried to act as normal as possible by making sand angels. Natsumi wasn't quite sure Koyuki got this whole "normal" thing down. But she was happy to have her.

Momoka held a parasol over her head as she sat in an ivory chair and sipped tea. Even on the beach, she had to be extravagant. They were all doing their own thing, but they were all happy.

Until the sun darkened.

Natsumi took off her glasses and sat up. _It's the afternoon_ , she thought. A jet flew directly over them.

Koyuki glanced over at her. She could tell the look of confusion in her eyes. Had the agency decided to cut their vacation short? Was something terrible happening to the rest of the world?

Natsumi bolted up as ropes flew out of the jet. Darkly-clad figures swung down, landing gracefully in front of them.

She couldn't see their faces, only their eyes. Some of them had full face masks, though. They looked like ninja, straight out of comic books.

 _Is this a test? Are they with the Agency?_ she wondered. The spy get-up was a little old style, but it was doubtful that the Agency would let this many enemies into Japan's land. They were better than that.

She could feel a tense air between the ninjas and her other comrades. She flipped into a crouch, glaring at the ninja.

"Grab the Nishizawa heiress and make sure she's unharmed! That's all we need here. Those our our orders," one of the ninja in front spoke. His voice was gritty, almost robotic. It took a moment to figure out what he was saying, as if the sound quality wasn't meant to be heard by human ears.

Koyuki pulled out a knife from her swimsuit. Natsumi wasn't even sure where Koyuki had been hiding it. She put herself in front of Momoka. "I think this is a little bit of a mistake. You are _not_ hurting Momoka."

"It's one of those classic hits on Momoka again. Perhaps these are mercenaries?" Mois decipher.

"Being rich and popular sure is hard. This happens like, what, once a week now?" Momoka sighed. This wasn't too unusual. The ninja were new, though.

"We won't let them have her!" Natsumi declared. "We're going to protect our friend."

"No mistake," the robotic ninja answered. "This works out for us perfectly. It is against the law for big business and government to be working together, but her funds have been found be a direct tie to directly be tied to a government organization..."

Koyuki threw her knife at the front ninja. He caught it, the fabric on one of his black gloves being slightly cut off to reveal a metal claw.

"There looks to be twenty of them. Don't make a big deal out of this; if the Nishizawa guards were to realize Momoka was in danger, this beach filled with civilians could turn into a battlefield," Koyuki warned Natsumi.

But Natsumi wouldn't hear any of it. She wasn't going to let her friend get hurt. Not paying attention to the fact that she was only in a swimsuit, she rushed forward to attack four of the ninja at once. "Call the Nishizawa guards! I am not letting Momoka get hurt!" She was the leader here and this trip had been made so that the four of them could sort through their issues. She recalled Keroro's story about Pururu. An image of Momoka's dead body went through her head.

No matter what, she wouldn't let that happen. She took out a walkie-talkie and tossed it to Momoka.

"NO!" Koyuki protested, but it was too late. Momoka had called them. Paul and many other armored guards came in to protect their heiress.

"So that's how you're going to play it? Let's see who wins this battle, then," the robotic ninja hissed. He flexed his metal claw.

Koyuki ran up to Natsumi as she tried to punch one of the ninja in the face. "Wh-why... Why did you?" Koyuki couldn't even find the right words. She was distraught as she gripped Natsumi's wrist.

"What's wrong Koyuki? I made the right choice." Natsumi looked confused. "I'm not letting any of us get hurt. I'm our leader. I will protect us," she smiled. If they had the methods in their reach, they should us them.

Mois frowned at her. Natsumi noticed that Mois wasn't fighting against the ninja - instead she was dodging and sometimes screaming as if she was a civilian. She crept toward Natsumi so she could talk better. "Our entire school is here! We can't fight without putting our identities in danger," she reminded. "By turning this place into a battlefield, you've put more people in danger than just Momoka. May I remind you that Fuyuki is here? All your friends and classmates? They could be caught in the crossfire!"

Koyuki nodded, agreeing.

Natsumi's eyes widened as she realized Koyuki had been thinking more clearly than she had. She had been so worried for Momoka that she didn't realize how many people could be hurt by making the fight more serious. She should have fled. But she didn't.

She watched as her classmates screamed and ran. Momoka was helping Fuyuki up and defending him.

"Oh no... what have I done?" Natsumi realized. She had ruined the trip. If she had run with Momoka, it may have hurt her pride but everybody would have been safe. Some of her classmates might even die in the crossfire. "Wh-who are these guys?" Did they work with 966? Or were they just the average mercenary team?

Bullet-fire rung in Natsumi's ears. Mois pulled her down to crouch in the sand. "The Nishizawa guards do their job too well. This could become quite deadly. Our job should be to round up our classmates and flee."

Natsumi nodded. She could get behind that. Because of their trained agility and strength, they would have a better time in this battlefield surviving than the average classmate.

She felt so much guilt for her decision.

* * *

Natsumi had rounded up most of her classmates. Really, Koyuki had been the real hero that had protected their classmates. She wasn't as worried about hiding her identity and was much more agile than Natsumi.

Mois scanned the crowd. "Is that everybody?" They had brought their classmates a safe distance away from the beach and back to the hotel they were staying in. The teachers were desperately trying to make sure there was a train ready for everybody to leave.

Natsumi heard a pounding on the window and saw Saburo and Keroro. Taking the cue, they left the room, all except Momoka, who was organizing a relief effort, since the classmates saw her as mostly responsible since they were her guards.

Saburo tapped his foot disapprovingly at the three girls who met up with both of them. Keroro just shook his head.

"Vacation's over. Sorry," he told them. He handed them their outfits. "Change into these. You all probably have work to clean things up."

"We should probably be with the other students," said Mois. "What if somebody realizes Natsumi or me is missing? They'll be worried."

"You're already listed as being on the train. I've sent orders to Momoka to pretend that you're fine if anyone asks," said Keroro.

Natsumi sighed. She felt so terrible for her idiot choice. Everybody was disappointed in her... even Saburo.

"Did you get all of your classmates out alive?" Keroro asked. "I assume you were counting them up."

Mois looked through some papers she had taken from a teacher's desk. She had been putting little checks on it, just acting the part of concerned cheer captain. "Let's see, Yayoi, Satsuki, Fuyuki... All safe. I saw Kululu, he's good too..." She continued looking through the list. Her face turned pale. "We're missing one."

Keroro rubbed his forehead. "Who? Because by golly I'm not letting your stupid decisions to call in the Nishizawa guards kill a student!"

Koyuki peered over Mois's shoulder, seeing the name. "That doesn't make any sense. Tamama was almost as strong as me. Why would he not be with the rest of the students?"

"Tamama?" Keroro was confused. "Is that the name of the missing student?"

Saburo peered through binoculars to the beach. "Your missing student wouldn't be the one walking straight into the crossfire, would he?"

Natsumi grabbed the binoculars and saw Tamama - sure enough - walking straight into the middle of the crossfire, freezing in the middle of it. He didn't even move, as if he was waiting for someone to come right over and knock him over, to hit him with a bullet.

"He - He can't be that stupid, can he? That's... That's suicide..." Natsumi realized.

"Maybe it's exactly that," Saburo sighed. "There's not enough time for you three to get changed, though. Going into the field would put one of our lives and our identity in danger. So... if that's really what he wants to do... we can't stop him. We can just hope he decides to move."

Mois threw herself into Koyuki's arms in tears. "But he was so nice!"

"Um... he bullied you constantly, Mois," Natsumi reminded. "He was a terrible person."

"Isn't there something you can do, Keroro? You control most of mission control," Mois begged. "He's my friend... Please!"

Koyuki grabbed the top of Mois's head and angled it to where Keroro had been moments ago. "He already left," she told her. Then she spun her back to the beach. "He's going straight in there."

Saburo frowned. "He's not a field agent, though! It'll be near impossible to get to him! He's not the one who should be playing hero. The Agency needs him. What is he - an idiot?"

Natsumi smiled. "Yes... Yes he is."

* * *

Keroro tried not to let sand get into his eyes. All the other students had abandoned this one. He wasn't quite sure why, but he knew he couldn't put More Peach Summer Snow in danger by sending them out to get Tamama. Tamama might recognize them. But no way was he letting this student die.

He tried to be quick. He wasn't the most agile or skilled and he hadn't done field agent duty in a while, but he knew more about these ninja guys than Natsumi's team did. They didn't fight with any long-range weapons, so if he appeared like an idiot, maybe he could reach Tamama who was in the middle of the beach just sanding there.

"H-help me!" Tamama cried. "E-everybody... Everybody just left...!" He was sobbing his head off.

"Just a second. I'll be there in just a second. It would sure help if you... I don't know, moved or something?" Keroro suggested.

"Oh boy! I'm sure I would do that if I could! You think I want to die?! My legs moved on my own and now my whole body won't move me out of this spot. It's like I'm frozen!" he yelled. He quickly started crying again, frightened for his own life.

Keroro looked around. The ninja probably wouldn't hit him, but on his own side... the Nishizawa guards might. They were shooting rather wildly, since the ninjas moved so fast.

"Your name is Tamama, right? Can you do something for me?" Keroro asked.

"Y-yeah." Tamama wished he could nod.

"Take deep breaths. Don't cry. I'll be there in a moment to help you. I promise I'm coming to save you. But I can't focus on dodging all these bullets with you crying. So please, just focus on me and try not to panic. Can you see me?" Keroro asked.

"I can't turn my head."

"Imagine someone unimaginably handsome then. Someone heroic and lovely. That's me. And give me a sexy butt, too," he added.

Tamama giggled a bit.

Keroro didn't know if giggling was more distracting than laughing, but it was better. He moved closer to where Tamama was standing, eventually just about to reach him.

A bullet whizzed by his leg cuff.

"OW!" Keroro had almost thought it had hit him.

"Mister, are you okay? You aren't dying, are you?" Tamama's voice rose, as if he would start panicking again.

Keroro could feel a bit of blood. The trip back off the beach might be hard if he was limping.

"N-no... I'm fine," Keroro told him, draping his arms around Tamama. Could he move him? No, Tamama's body didn't seem to responding to being unstuck. Like he was a statue. Keroro just decided to pick him up bridal style.

"Wow! You _are_ a vision of loveliness!" Tamama smiled.

"Th-thanks." Keroro tried not to wince from the pain in his leg. "You sure you can't move?" Was it just normal fear?

"Positive. My entire body is paralyzed. I don't know why it won't respond to anything I try to do."

"Probably just normal fear. It's fine. I'm naturally fearful too," he reassured, trying to slowly get back to the road away from the beach.

"No. It's not fear. I can't even shake," said Tamama as Keroro walked. "All I remember is eating some weird candy this morning... and then waking up in a dark room. There was laughter the faint sound of a 'ku ku ku.' I only moved out of the room once I heard gunfire. But it wasn't me who was moving. My body was doing it on my own... moving me _toward_ the danger!"

Keroro's eyebrow raised. That... That didn't sound like normal fear. That actually sounded like 966 had targeted Tamama! And whatever he'd done to him, it would have killed him.

"We'll sort this out when you're safe, all right, Tamama?" Keroro asked.

"O-okay," said Tamama.

Another bullet whizzed by Keroro's head. Keroro almost dropped Tamama to cover his ears. It was very doubtful that he'd make it through this alive.

"COULD YOU ALL JUST STOP SHOOTING? I'm trying to save someone, all right? Do you want some innocent student to die?" Keroro yelled annoyed.

The Nishizawa guards did not stop. But one of the ninja did notice Keroro's plea.

Pulling out a katana, he approached Keroro and Tamama. "I'll cover you. Don't worry about the bullets."

Keroro gave a small smile. "So this is what you've been up to?"

"I have no wishes for a student to be harmed. The mission agenda was to just arrange a meeting with the Nishizawa girl. It was your agency that caused risk for needless bloodshed." There was a hiss in the stranger's voice.

Keroro nodded. "Sorry about that. Thanks for helping - "

"It's not for you. It's for the student."

"Okay. Whatever." Keroro walked out of there with the strange ninja protecting him.

* * *

Eventually, Keroro lay Tamama down on the asphalt near Saburo, Natsumi, Koyuki, and Mois.

"Th-that... That was amazing," said Natsumi. "I didn't know you could do that."

"Scram. This is a civilian, remember?" Keroro told her. "I only brought him over here because I needed More."

He glanced over at Mois. She had her spy uniform on, as well as her natural skin tone and hair color.

Natsumi and Koyuki sunk to the background, hiding around a corner.

"What is it you need?" Mois asked.

"You and 326. Figure out what's wrong with the student. He says he can't move," Keroro told her.

"Well," Saburo started, "sometimes in near death situations you become fearful - "

"Why aren't you holding me anymore?" Tamama asked. He could only see Keroro in front of him.

"He says he blacked out after breakfast and remembers hearing a 'ku, ku, ku.' Then his body started moving toward the danger," Keroro described.

"That sounds like a 966 attack if I ever did hear one. But didn't we confirm these ninja weren't affiliated with 966?" Saburo recalled.

Natsumi listened in, breathing a sigh of relief. _So... 966 didn't target Momoka or my school. These are just your average ninja mercenaries._ Giroro hadn't somehow broken his promise and told 966 her name, allowing him enough information to figure out the other agents.

"Let's look at his body, then," Saburo decided. "Maybe there's something to prove a clue of why he can't move."

"Wait, are you going to strip me? I don't want any gross _girls_ stripping me!" Tamama yelled. "I only give permission for the cool one to do it."

Keroro glanced at Saburo. "Which one of us is the cool one?"

"The one with the black hair," Tamama clarified.

Keroro sighed. "Fine. Let's see your chest and how you're doing." He unbuttoned Tamama's shirt, trying to be delicate.

Mois and Saburo peered over to see if they could figure out what 966 had done to him.

It wasn't until Keroro turned Tamama over to his back that they could see the long, metal device attached to his spine with a spiral insignia. It obviously controlled all of Tamama's movement.

"Yeah. He was definitely targeted by 966," Saburo diagnosed.

"Then are 966 and the Underground - the attackers we just saw - working together?" Keroro wondered.

"Could be a possibility. But the Underground were clearly targeting Momoka." Saburo rubbed his chin. "I just don't understand why 966 would be targeting a regular student."

"Want me to try to figure out how to take that off?" Mois asked. "Without damaging him, of course..."

"Wait a minute... I recognize that annoying voice anywhere!" Tamama realized. "It's that woman! No way are you getting anywhere near me!"

"Crud," Keroro realized. "We better take him back and have you look at him, More. Is that all right?"

Mois nodded. "I'll try to make sure he's fixed up."

Tamama groaned. But he tried to glance at Keroro. At least he got to go back to wherever his savior was. He could feel himself blush.

Natsumi hoped things worked themselves out for the best. But so many thoughts were jumbled in her head. Who were the ninjas, the Underground? Why had one of them helped Keroro? Why was Tamama being targeted by 966? Where had 966 been in all of this? Had Giroro actually told him where she went to school? Was it about time to tell Keroro about the whole ordeal with Giroro? What would they do now that Tamama, of all people, knew Mois's identity?

And... was she really meant to be the team's leader when she had made such a bad choice that had put so many civilians, the people she was sworn to protect, in danger, just so Momoka's life wasn't threatened? Momoka could protect herself. Tamama couldn't.

She felt awful.

* * *

"Should I be getting closer to him?" Momoka asked as Keroro waited outside of the operation room. Saburo and Mois were currently looking after Tamama back in agency headquarters.

"Huh, why?" Keroro asked.

"Something's special about him. There had to be, if 966 would take the time to target him."

"It could have just been coincidence. Maybe he's testing some sort of weapon to control people's bodies. I don't think it's something so petty as a grudge," said Keroro. "But... just between you and me, it could help if one of us was his friends. Tamama seems to have something against Mois and I'm a little wary of releasing him, since he knows our secret."

Momoka nodded. "Can do. I'll try to look after him."

Natsumi sat in the corner, her shoulders slumping as she thought about how badly she had screwed up. Tamama could have died because of how stupid she was.

Koyuki was trying to comfort her, to get her to eat or look up, but Natsumi wouldn't have any of it.

"You just wanted to protect us," Koyuki smiled. "I might have done the same if I was in your position. I mean, I had some stupid ideas of how to get out of that situation, too."

"Nothing stupider than mine, right?" Natsumi asked. Koyuki rubbed her hand and smiled at Natsumi.

"I was just going to talk to them. Isn't that a lot stupider?" she grinned. Natsumi laughed. The ninjas seemed pretty deadly, so that did seem pretty stupid.

Keroro didn't scold Natsumi. She was kicking herself enough. Instead, he went to some computers and tried to do some work.

"Another 966 attack has been reported. Too bad Saburo's busy at the moment," Keroro sighed, looking at some news reports. Natsumi perked up.

That was just the thing to clear her head. Fighting 966 - or better yet, Giroro.

 _And... I need to ask him why 966 was targeting Tamama. Was 966 in my area? Did Giroro tell him where I was? That no-good traitor!_ she thought.

"Momoka, Koyuki, and I can go," she said.

"Whoa, wait, hold up. I'm not sending you!" Keroro told them.

"Wait, why not? Is it because I screwed up? Because if you even imply that I can't take on Giroro - " She cracked her knuckles. "I'll turn you into frog pudding."

Keroro shook his head. "Giroro hasn't been sighted in the area. It's only been 966... And it doesn't seem like his other attacks. He's not targeting the populace. He's clearly wised up to us and he's setting a trap. Sending anyone besides the police would be just playing into his hands and be our doom," he spoke to her. "So nobody should face him."

Natsumi's hand shook. They had spotted 966...? The real 966 and not some henchman? And they _weren't_ going after him just because they thought they'd lose? How stupid could Keroro be? He was just playing it safe!

She needed to make up for what had happened to Tamama. Needed to question him. But if Keroro wouldn't authorize the mission...

She'd do it alone. She could end 966's reign of terror once and for all.

Koyuki didn't seem to understand Keroro's logic, either. "We could ensnare him in a trap. He's trying to trap us, so why not trap him?"

Keroro shook his head. "He's not doing anything besides minor destruction at the moment. Nobody's life is at risk. I'm more worried about the people going after Momoka and what's going on with Tamama. So he's not our first priority today. He's just going to have to suck it up and deal with not having the agency's undivided attention," Keroro sighed.

Momoka nodded. "I'll watch after Tamama, then. Help him recuperate."

Natsumi nodded, knowing full well she was going to disobey orders.

* * *

Dressed in her spy garb, Natsumi tightened the mask around her eyes, letting it the ribbon from its knot trail down. She knew the location of 966 and wouldn't let him get away.

It wasn't like he could be any tougher than Giroro, right? Giroro was an ex-agent. 966 wasn't.

"Where are you going, sis?" asked Fuyuki when he saw her grabbing some things. "I didn't know you had a mission."

Natsumi groaned. She didn't want Fuyuki wrapped up in this. He was staying at headquarters trying to help Keroro figure out what 966's master plan was with Tamama at the moment.

"966 has been sighted. I need to take him down. To make it up to Tamama," she told Fuyuki. "Don't stop me."

"I won't," said Fuyuki. "What he did to Tamama was terrible." He thought for a moment. "Is he strong?"

"I don't know."

"I know how to use one of the weird spy guns. It's got grappling hooks and things," Fuyuki boasted. "So... take me with you. I don't want you to have to go alone."

Natsumi smiled. Both her and Aki kind of wanted Fuyuki to start showing an interest in the spy lifestyle and he finally was.

"Okay. Get on a suit. You can't just show yourself as Fuyuki," she smiled.

Fuyuki nodded.

Natsumi didn't realize this was bigger than a sibling-bonding session.

* * *

She tried to sneak out with Fuyuki. She was a trained spy, so sneaking out of a spy agency wasn't impossible. It was actually quite easy, grabbing tools and materials.

She was caught just as she saw the exit.

"Leaving without me?" Koyuki asked.

"Koyuki!" Natsumi bolted up. "Shhhh... don't tell the stupid frog. I need to do this. For Tamama."

"I know. And _you_ know that I think not taking this opportunity to meet him face-to-face is a bad one," said Koyuki. "So I'm coming with you."

Natsumi grinned. "I'd hoped you'd say that."

Her new team was ready. She knew she'd be able to take 966 on.

* * *

It was an empty warehouse that he had been sighted doing vandalism. The whole thing screamed trap, but Natsumi was ready.

Holding her weapons out, she and Koyuki crept inside with Fuyuki following behind them. The moment they had entered, the doors snapped shut behind them and the lights turned on.

"So you fell for it. Ku, the agency is just as stupid as I thought," 966 told them, looking down at them from some railings. He looked exactly as he had in the video footage they had seen - wearing a mask with a permanent smirk and spiral glasses. He had the hat that covered his hair and a dramatic purple outfit, complete with cape, gloves and leather boots.

His voice was deep, sinister, and unreal. Clearly he was using some sort of voice-changing device.

"That's where you're wrong." Natsumi held up her laser sword. "We didn't fall for anything. We just took this opportunity to beat you before you could hurt anyone else. Only an idiot would waste a good opportunity like this."

"Only an idiot would make a trap as bad as this one," Koyuki told him.

"Not a trap," 966 hummed. "I just wanted to meet the famed More Peach Summer Snow team in person. See you for who you really are..." He looked down at Koyuki for a second. "Strange, I thought you had four members."

"Don't tell him anything," Natsumi ordered. 966 watched Natsumi for a second. "You were stupid if you did all this just to see us in person. Because now we're going to kick your butt. Because no way can you be as strong as Giroro."

"So you're suggesting we test this? Who's stronger? All right. Since you're the only team the Agency will send against me, due to the measures I've taken. Let's see who's stronger. Ku, ku, ku. You're going to be very disappointed after you're all dead." Snapping his fingers, a pillar from the warehouse fell down.

"Fuyu—I mean Winter, stand back," Natsumi ordered. They hadn't given him a codename yet. "We can take him, Snow."

Koyuki nodded.

The two girls tried to rush up the stairs to 966. But as if in a video game, barrels flew down. Wreckage of all sorts flew at them, like the warehouse had a mind of its own.

"Dodge to the left, sis!" yelled Fuyuki. "There's a pattern... He must have tried to program this all before you came here! I think I've got it down..."

"Very good. I didn't know there was some amount of intelligence at the agency," 966 observed. "You would be... Peach, correct?"

"I'm not on their team. I don't work for the government," Fuyuki clarified. "I've got some theories about the government's inner workings, that it's corrupt and the leaders brainwash the normal population..."

966 dodged Natsumi's attack as she got up to his level with Koyuki. He quickly pressed a button, causing Natsumi to be flung to the wall from the floor.

"Really? I agree completely. And it interests me that you don't work for them..." 966 thought for a moment, leaning against the balcony rail. "Ku, ku, ku. You know, I have proof about the government's evil workings. And I'm sure you would love working for me. So, whatever your name is... Winter or something. Why don't you join me?" 966 outstretched his hand.

Natsumi pried herself off the walls. "You're evil. My brother will never join you!" She tried to punch him, but her laser sword malfunctioned, turning back on her and burning her hand. "AAAH!"

"What even are your goals?" Koyuki asked. "Pure evil and tyranny?"

"I want to rid the world of its corruption. Ku, ku, ku! I want to take out the evil and corrupt government. They don't deserve to be in power any longer - "

"Stop lecturing! Nobody cares!" Natsumi screamed. He was so annoying. All the technology in the warehouse was going out of control against them. Koyuki and she hadn't even got close to him and they were already injured.

He just watched them in that annoying sort of way, like they weren't even on the same level.

"I... I'm not into the whole government conspiracy thing, actually," Fuyuki confessed. "I meant they were brainwashing people to not believe about aliens after they've seen them! Doesn't it make a bit more sense?"

966 sighed. "Don't be an idiot, kid. Take my job offer. Aliens? They aren't important compared to what's happening here and now! I have proof that the government is corrupt. Every year they cover up thousands and thousands of deaths, just because those hungry, famed politicians don't want to be blamed! Is that fair? Is that somehow less important than damn aliens? I don't think so. _Those_ conspiracies are the _really_ important ones," said 966. "Exposing the truth... taking the seeds of evil out of a government that forces families to break... That's what's truly important. Not stupid, nonexistent aliens."

"Geez, somebody's holding a grudge," Natsumi teased. She winked at Fuyuki. As long as he distracted 966, she could get up to him and take him out. She could win.

"Winter, or whatever your name is... I'm asking you one last time. You have potential. Potential that the government might use against you. You understand conspiracies; you just have to pay attention to the right ones." 966 clenched his fist. "Join me."

"Where's your proof that they're just _normal_ evil and not overdoing it because an alien brainwashed them?" Fuyuki challenged. "I think they're just trying to cover up aliens."

966 growled in annoyance. "When I was little, my parents were killed by them. My family was unable to seek justice because the incident was covered up. Just because we were a lower-class family meant we weren't as important as them. Does that seem right to you? Like it has anything to do with stupid aliens? Because my mother refused a proposition from a government employee, she was _murdered_!"

"If that was the case, you could have brought it to court!" Fuyuki pointed out. "Peaceful protests are the way to go!"

"Oh? Like a child could take something to court?" he retorted. "Or do you mean the peaceful protests like my siblings tried? And were also killed for? Nah, violence is the only thing that works."

Fuyuki frowned. "I don't think any humans are that evil - It must have been aliens. It _must_ have..." Fuyuki rationalized. "Or maybe a supernatural creature? I've got plenty of books on those... It isn't right to hurt so many people in a revenge scheme."

"This isn't revenge. It's justice. They've proven themselves wronger and wronger... creating underground spy agencies that will follow their beck and call. Like yours. They don't deserve power. Someone like _me_ does. This world can't rule itself. So I've come in to change it." He glared down upon Fuyuki. "Now that you've heard of the twisted side of this world, why don't you join me?"

Natsumi's mouth twisted into a snarl. She had finally gotten up the stairs. 966 was tougher in his traps than she had expected. But he had been distracted by Fuyuki. As he spoke, she leaped at him -

\- and went straight through his body, landing on the floor.

"Ku, ku, ku. Robot guards, take out the two wannabe spies," 966 ordered as walls opened up. "I've humored them too long."

"I... I went through you," Natsumi realized.

"Of course you did. I'm a super genius. You don't really think I'd talk to someone as useless as you _face-to-face_? Dealing with things is way more effective through holograms. You haven't even been getting your butt kicked by the real me." 966 watched her dread as she and Koyuki were tied up. The electrical chip was going off in Koyuki's neck, leaving her pretty useless.

"But... we're your main enemy!" Natsumi reminded him.

"Nah, you aren't that tough. You're completely unimportant to me," 966 laughed. "Ku, ku, ku. You're worthless. I only fought with you here because I was... you could say... playing with my food! KUUU, ku ku ku ku ku!"

Natsumi felt herself struggling as a claw grasped around Koyuki and her. He was laughing hysterically at their pain.

 _I underestimated him. I couldn't beat someone who wasn't here, who I don't know anything about..._ Another bad mistake.

"I'll never join you! You're just as evil as they are! You're going to hurt my sister _and_ my sister's friend!" Fuyuki yelled.

966 shrugged. "Well, duh. Not saying I'm not a twisted guy. But you're right. You win the prize! I'm going to hurt them." Ropes were thrown onto Fuyuki and he joined their little band in the air.

Little tubes opened up on the walls as poison gas started flooding the room.

"You'll all die. Ku, ku, ku," 966 told them.

Koyuki tried to struggle free, despite her electrical chip going off.

"You've been beaten by me. Face it. Now don't bother me again." 966 switched off, and suddenly his hologram was gone..

The three started coughing. The doors swung open as Saburo and Momoka ran in.

"We saw your signals in distress!" Momoka told them. Saburo put his hand on her shoulder, reminding her to cover her mouth.

Putting two gas masks on, they unhooked the rope, letting Fuyuki, Koyuki, and Natsumi fall down. Momoka caught Fuyuki, and Saburo caught Koyuki. Natsumi just lay gasping on the ground as Momoka dragged her outside.

"I thought you were watching Tamama - " Natsumi gasped.

"Left him alone with Mois. She can handle him," Saburo told her. "Now. That's two strikes against you. Two bad decisions in one day. Going after 966 on your own _and_ calling the Nishizawa guards."

Natsumi just frowned. She knew. They had almost all died.

She started crying. Koyuki held her. "The poison gas wasn't deadly. It had a formula that would have put us in pain for about twenty minutes. The purpose was to inflict terror. He assumed we'd get help," she told her, "so... we weren't really in danger. It wasn't your fault."

Still, Natsumi cried. Saburo was right. Momoka looked down at her as Koyuki held her.

Nobody knew what they could do for her. Just let her cry it out, they supposed.

* * *

 **The kerotama has begun I guess.**

 **Please review.**


	8. Friends Reunion

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Keroro watched over Natsumi, Koyuki, and Fuyuki like a mother hen.

"So you found them?" he asked Saburo.

"You need to discipline her. She put her team and Fuyuki in danger yet again!" Saburo hissed. Natsumi didn't even try to make eye contact with Keroro to defend her actions. Her glorious life of a super spy was crumbling away.

She had failed. Yet again, she had made a stupid choice. 966 had wanted her to make that choice.

Keroro just gave her a sad, little frown.

"S-sis... Sis did good, too!" Fuyuki defended. "We finally saw him face to face! Well, he was behind a mask, but we _met_ him. We spoke to him. He knows we're a threat now."

"Fuyuki... babe." Momoka blushed for a moment covering her mouth, realizing she had said a pet name. Fuyuki was a bit confused. "He kicked your butts. You are not a threat to him."

"Well, we've figured out his motives. And that will humanize him and make him easier to predict, if we know his personality. Saburo, how long have you been going after this guy?" Fuyuki asked.

"Well, we discovered him as a threat about four years ago... And I was put on the case _two_ years ago. So two," Saburo told him.

"And Natsumi learned more about him in a night from falling for a trap than you did in those two years. So good came from it," Fuyuki pointed out.

"Fuyuki. Fuyuki stop," said Natsumi. "Saburo's right. He _is_ a more experienced spy than me. I would be dead. Koyuki could be dead, you could be dead, if not for him and Momoka. I fell for the stupid trap. I put more confidence in _my_ decision-making than the stupid frog's. And I was wrong." She sighed.

"We wouldn't have died. I told you, the gas wasn't meant to kill - He knew Saburo and Momoka would be coming for us. He just wanted to frighten us away," Koyuki soothed. It made enough sense - 966 didn't see them as that much of a threat.

Natsumi just shook her head and looked at the floor. It was her fault. All her fault.

Keroro sighed. "Don't lose so much confidence, okay? We'll sort out this mess eventually. You aren't dead, but you did get quite beaten. And Fuyuki is right, in a way. In one bad night, we've figured out more about his personality than we have in, like, two years. And in spy work, you need to know things like personality to predict things."

Natsumi looked up at Keroro. Was he trying to cheer her up?

"But you still disobeyed orders. You'll have to stay the night here so you can't run off and fight any more super-villains. Don't worry, I got permission from your Mom - she's officially grounded you."

Natsumi groaned. This was super embarrassing. First Saburo hated her, and now her Mom grounded her!

Keroro giggled a little bit. "Momoka, keep Fuyuki safe. Koyuki, you can show Natsumi to the dorm rooms that you and Mois stay in."

Koyuki nodded.

* * *

Natsumi still looked pretty bummed out, but Keroro knew that he had other issues to deal with. Other priorities.

He went back to medical bay where Tamama was waiting.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU LEFT ME ALONE WITH THAT WOMAN!" Tamama growled, super annoyed. "Can I go home now?"

"No. Sorry, you can't." Keroro apologized to him. "Truth of the matter is... we did something very off-protocol with you. We brought you back to our base to fix you up and exposed you to the inner secrets of our organization. And you know Mois's identity as a spy now, so releasing you back to society would be dangerous for us."

"Who? That woman?" Tamama asked. "Oh yeah. Sure I knew her name." He awkwardly looked off to the side.

Keroro groaned. "What I'm saying is we don't know if you'll expose us, so we can't release you."

"You mean you broke rules just to save me? That's so sweet!" Tamama swooned, not really getting it.

Keroro frowned. "Well, yeah we didn't follow standard protocol when saving you so I suppose we broke some rules."

"What made you want to save me? Was I just so cute and irresistible?" Tamama asked. "All the other students left me... I thought I was popular, but they just left... They didn't even try to stop me." His voice softened, as if he was at the point of tears.

Keroro ruffled his hair. "Um... there, there. They probably didn't realize you were gone."

"You mean they forgot about me?" He gasped. "That might be worse!"

"Well, _I_ saved you, didn't I? So that's good enough!"

" _Why_ did you? What made me so special that you put your life in danger? Momocchi... the girl who was in here last... She said you're not a field agent, so why'd you put your life in danger for me?"

"Because I never want to see anyone die again. Not if I can prevent it," said Keroro. "A lot of people say this agency isn't made up of heroes. That we're just spies that should cover things up... But I still think we do good. And I want to get back to the core of our message. To save people. To be a hero. You know, like in those old superhero shows?"

"Oh yeah! I used to watch them all the time when I was a kid!" Tamama recalled. "So you're just a giant nerd who wants to turn his career into some sort of anime?"

Keroro was shocked by that accusation. It was so spot-on, but also kind of insulting. "No! No way!" he cried. He wasn't some giant nerd... was he?

Tamama thought for a moment. "I... I get it. I won't tell anyone about this place. This agency. Not even how that woman's a super spy. But I want something in return."

Keroro instantly realized what it was. Was this guy blackmailing him? "You probably want a kiss or something from your hero, huh? I can get behind that. I did save your life. Let's face it, you're probably enamored by me." He smiled.

Tamama laughed. "You're funny!"

Keroro's heart shattered. This little short guy was kind of a brat.

"Nah, I want a job." Tamama put his arms behind his head. "I want to be a spy too. I don't want to be in trouble again. I want to be tough, to save people. To work by your side! To believe in your message."

"Um... well, we don't just employ _anyone_..." Keroro scratched his chin. "Our agents are very tough and usually trained from a young age."

Tamama frowned. "I'm tough, too! I'm almost good as Natsumi's cousin. What was her name, Koyuki? I run a dojo that has all sorts of martial arts competitions. And if I could go head-on against a spy without even knowing they were a spy, I think I could handle myself."

Keroro thought for a moment. "I'll look into your dojo. See if maybe you are up for the task," Keroro decided.

Tamama grinned. "Good! And then after I get the job I'll get that kiss!"

"Wait what?" Keroro was off-guard for that comment.

"But in _my_ way. It won't just be some reward for me keeping your secrets. You'll fall for me. I am irresistibly cute, after all!" He giggled.

Keroro didn't even know what to say. He was speechless. Now Tamama actually was hitting on him? He didn't know what was what anymore.

* * *

"It checks out," Saburo reported after some fact-checking. "His dojo is actually credible and Tamama is quite skilled in martial arts."

"So is Tamama going to join us?" asked Mois. "That would be great! We could become like best friends and paint our nails all the time! He's such a friendly face."

"Do you think maybe that's why 966 targeted him? For the power of his dojo?" said Saburo. "If he had to choose _somebody's_ body to control, a skilled martial artist was his best choice." He shrugged. That was one mystery solved of why Tamama was so special.

"I think I'm going to hire him. But not as an agent," Keroro decided. "This has been... what? The third or fourth time Koyuki and Natsumi have gotten their butt kicked by someone affiliated with 966? I'm thinking they need some better training. I'm thinking all the agents do. I'm going to hire Tamama to be More Peach Summer Snow's personal trainer."

"Yay! Bonding time with Tamama!" Mois clapped.

"This is going to be a nightmare for her." Saburo giggled a bit. "But yeah, that sounds like a reasonable plan."

* * *

The announcement came in the morning. Tamama was pleased he was hired, and sickening so, in fact, now that had absolute power over Mois.

"Run 100 laps while doing tongue twisters. NOW!" he ordered.

"Umm... maybe we should go through some rules before you start getting any ideas," said Keroro. "I really want you to be tough on Koyuki and Natsumi. They're the ones who decided to go after 966 alone."

"Okey-dokey. I like being tough." He paused. "But one question. Who's 966?"

Momoka rubbed her head. "Don't you watch the news?"

"Oh! He's the villain everybody's talking about? Wait... that's real?" said Tamama. "I thought I was watching an anime." Well this was shocking.

"He's also the one who made it so you almost died. He was the one controlling your body and experimenting on you. The laughter you heard was his," Keroro explained.

"Huh... creepy." Tamama shuddered.

"Tamama." Natsumi approached him to shake his hand. "I may not like you very much because of how you treat Mois, but I respect your skills. Please help me get stronger." She bowed. She needed to stop believing only her method was the right one.

966 had beaten her. She needed to get stronger so during their rematch she wouldn't be absolutely terrible. She would make him eat his words about "playing with his food."

 _I wonder if this is why Giroro said I was his arch-nemesis. Not because he wanted to start up a rivalry with me, but because he didn't see me getting any stronger than him... at the level of his boss. But I WILL rise up! I will fight 966. And if I have to do it on my own to keep my team safe, I will._

 _Nobody will be in danger because of me again._ She wondered briefly what Giroro was doing, whether he had heard about the weird ninja that Keroro seemed to call the "Underground's" attack on her school. If he had heard that 966 had attacked a student at her school. If he would also hunt her down in her personal life.

No. She couldn't let the war come to her school.

This was her battle. Her secret life. Natsumi was separate from Summer.

* * *

Giroro watched the tape play again of Natsumi, Koyuki, and Fuyuki's fight with his boss 966. It was the tenth time he had watched it play, and he was still trying to figure out if he would have done the same in Natsumi's position.

He would have been just as conned, he realized.

"Summer would be a valuable ally. She's tough. Charismatic. She fights strongly for what she believes in. I think if we could make her see what we're doing, she'd eventually join us," Giroro spoke to 966, who was busy hacking into heavily protected files.

966 laughed. "You just want her to join because you think she's cute."

"Well why can't I suggest who I want to join us?! You offered a job to her younger brother," he said. "Are _you_ just allowed to recruit whoever you want?"

"Well it's not like I'm your _boss_ or anything," 966 emphasized. "But if it really matters so much to you that she joins, do whatever you please. I don't think she'll join up - she seems to hate me a lot - but if you can convince her, I suppose I'll give her a place on my team."

Giroro smiled. 966 could see reason some of the time. "Thanks, man. It's just, she seems like a pretty cool ally to have. But if we remain adversaries, that'll be cool too. She is a pretty tough one."

"Ku, ku, ku. You totally just want her to join up 'cause you have a crush on her."

"No way! I - I just want to fight her. Would someone with a crush want that said crush to have a dramatic battle with them?"

966 coughed. " _AhemFETISHcoughahem_."

Giroro growled. "I just respect her is all. I can find nothing as pure as the respect I have for her."

966 scoffed. "Respect for who? Her ribbon mask and skintight suit? Face it, you don't even know the real her. She's a spy with a secret identity - " He smirked. " - and a poorly kept one, at that."

"I know about her. We're enemies. Words like names, interests, where she lives... it doesn't mean anything to me." He knew her name, but 966 didn't need to know that. He also knew he could probably look up what school had been in vacation in the area of his apartment, but he respected Natsumi too much to do that. He knew some of her interests, too, but 966 would just feel threatened if he was getting too chummy with the enemy.

"Just as expected. Ku ku ku. You know nothing about her." 966 walked past him.

Giroro swallowed. At least he had taken the bait and wasn't pressuring him for Natsumi's name. "Oh? And you _do_ somehow?"

966 thought for a moment. "Her name is Natsumi Hinata. She goes to school in this city. That prestigious one not too far from this base? Ku, ku, ku. Isn't it hilarious how we're right under her nose? She doesn't know our home base is so close..." He laughed.

Giroro's face turned pale. How did 966 know all this?

"She's in twelfth grade. Eighteen, I believe. Doesn't participate in any clubs; says she's too busy for them. Has a number of friends on an outer level but doesn't tell them about her true life. Not very popular at school with the male crowd because of her anger issues." He smiled. "Shall I continue about all the things I know about her that you don't?"

"How do you know this?" Giroro asked. 966 sat down next to a computer.

"I'm not an idiot. Once she revealed her identity to me in the warehouse and I saw her face, it was enough to cross-examine her through a number of government files. I'm currently trying to figure out the name of her brother. Ku! Bingo! Fuyuki Hinata. Ku, ku, ku," 966 laughed. "Two grades lower... A big occult maniac. Sounds like who I met."

Giroro tried not to shake. The identity that Natsumi held so dear had been shattered. He hadn't betrayed it. 966 was just too smart! Now her brother could be in danger because of what 966 found out. Her school could be in danger!

Giroro tried to play it cool. Maybe Kululu would allow him to blackmail her instead of going straight after her brother's life? He didn't want to hurt Natsumi. He didn't want to do it.

"What about Snow? Do you know who she is?" Giroro asked.

"There are no government records of her, so I can not decipher her last name or if she has one. But no need to refer to her as Snow. Her name is Koyuki," 966 told him.

Giroro nodded. "D-does... Does she go to school with Natsumi?"

"No." He shook his head. "I believe she lives in the agency."

"Listen. I...I can't go to her school and start shooting it up. I'm a villain, yes. But I'm not a homicidal one. I'm not going to kill anyone or put them in danger. I believe in your vision, but if you're going to order me to go to Natsumi's school and put her friends, her family, in danger - " Giroro's voice was shaking. Taking a stand against 966's orders wasn't something he had done before.

In a moment, 966's hand gripped his color. He couldn't see 966's eyes, but it was the closest the guy's face had been to him.

"You will _never_ go to her school. You'll never touch it. You hear me?" 966 ordered. Giroro choked for a moment due to just how tight 966's hand was around his shirt collar.

Giroro nodded. 966 released him.

"We do not touch that school. We do not attack the students in it, all right?" 966 asked. His volume rose. "You understand me, right?"

"Yes! Yes of course I do. But... I'm confused." He scratched his head. "Why?"

"Not important," 966 told him. "Now... I have an invention to test. My plan is almost complete. I need you to steal two materials I'm missing for the prototype. Can you do it?"

Giroro nodded. Of course he could.

Hopefully, Natsumi might attack him, too, if he was lucky.

* * *

"Another attack, really, Giroro?" Natsumi asked. She was still recovering from her many bad decisions, but she had been called to take out Giroro along with the rest of her team. He had made several strikes throughout the week, and although she had stopped him a few times, it was getting kind of annoying, seeing him all over the place.

They all knew he was trying to recover something from the museum. He wasn't going to get it.

"Give up already!" shouted Momoka.

"Your team won't be able to stand against me this time!" Giroro laughed.

"We stood against you the last ten times you attacked," said Natsumi.

"Mostly thanks to _you_ ," Koyuki reminded her. Natsumi grinned a little. Giroro was something she could take down, and she knew it. And Tamama's training was making her stronger than ever.

Every time she saw Giroro, though, for some reason he looked so guilty. It made her feel suspicious for her safety.

"Summer... 966 has recognized your potential." He outstretched his hand to her. "He thinks you should join him."

"Really? So first he wants to convert my brother, and now me?" Natsumi rolled her eyes. "I'll never be seduced by the dark side."

"Well, I m-mean wh-what if I seduced you... to the dark side I mean!" Giroro tried to recover.

Natsumi just raised an eyebrow and kicked him. In the face. He managed to block with his arm. "Are you trying to hit on me?"

"No, but you are. Literally. Heheh. Anyway, we're enemies. But I would like to be more... like comrades!" he said.

"Should umm... Should we leave?" Mois asked. She stole a glance at Giroro. "It's kind of awkward to see you hitting on someone so badly."

"Yeah!" Momoka agreed. "It's been a minute into battle and I've already fallen hurt myself... but this display hurts even more!"

Giroro growled. "Stop teasing me! I'm not hitting on anyone! I'm trying to get someone to join me, because I respect Summer's skills! Geez, you guys are just as bad as 966 when it comes to teasing."

Koyuki kept her blades up. "Summer isn't coming with you. You're not good enough for her. She doesn't like you that way."

Giroro cracked a bit. "No! No! You misunderstand! I'm not hitting on her! I - I just... Summer, you understand me, right? It's like in all those spy movies where the evil spy tries to seduce the hero into evil?" He was desperate at this point.

Natsumi smiled, realizing what he was talking about. "Oh! You mean those overly sexualized female characters with Russian accents who try to, like, seduce the James Bond character! I didn't know you saw yourself as that kind of character," Natsumi giggled.

Giroro groaned.

"To do that sort of act correctly, you've got to be wearing far less and be a lot more sexy," Natsumi advised.

"Wait, I'm not?" Giroro asked. He swiped back his hair got down on one knee. "Then let me be sexy for you, Summer. Join me. We could rule the world together." He pulled out roses from nowhere.

"Hmmm... try sexier. Like I don't know unbuttoning your shirt and stuff," she suggested. Giroro blushed but fell for it, like an idiot. He unbuttoned his shirt, throwing it to the ground.

"Will you join me now and fight by my side?" Giroro asked. Natsumi had thrown herself to the ground in laughter.

"H-he's... He's so tough!" Momoka laughed.

"You could say, love is weakness?" Mois was also laughing on the ground.

"I don't really understand what everybody's laughing at but I want to feel included!" Koyuki rolled on the ground.

Natsumi continued to laugh. "This is why the Agency should have sent you guys to school!"

Giroro just turned red. "I... I think I'll just take what I need now." He grabbed the materials and walked out, ashamed.

It was how he won at least one of the things he needed. Because More Peach Summer Snow was too busy laughing at him.

And even though Natsumi had made a really bad decision, she didn't regret it. It was so worth it.

* * *

"So... you just let him get away with a priceless artifact?" Keroro tried to get the facts straight. "You're... You're supposed to be an amazingly competent team!"

"We were too busy laughing," Momoka apologized.

"We don't know what 966 needs with that!" he said. "You might have doomed the world just for a quick laugh! Giroro's stupid mistakes are a dime a dozen. Trust me, I should know. It cost Zeroro and me many missions, laughing at his clumsiness. The Agency eventually put us through training to stop laughing at him so much. We went through all sorts of humiliating things just to learn not to laugh."

"Umm... maybe that's why he left?" said Natsumi. "That actually seems pretty cruel. Now I feel sorry for him."

"So do I," Koyuki realized.

Keroro scratched his chin awkwardly. That was kind of true.

"Do you think he really respects Natsumi, though? Or is it some kind of crush?" asked Momoka.

"I... I think it's probably respect. Not even Giroro would be so stupid as to fall for someone because of how tough they are. He's trying to seduce her because he sees her as a good ally after she beat him and earned his respect." Keroro tried to explain.

"I already know that," Natsumi defended. She knew he wasn't really trying to seduce her. "Sorry for letting him win. It won't happen again."

Keroro didn't know if he believed her. He wanted to, but she had made so many mistakes.

* * *

"You have a crush on her. Just face it. You lost ten battles out of eleven," said 966.

"I do not have a crush on her. Stop teasing me," Giroro hissed.

"I wouldn't want to fall for the enemy! Ku ku ku. That would hurt," said Kululu. "I can see why it would repel you. It's probably a painful situation to be in."

"Like you know what being in love feels like. Which I'm not in, by the way! I'm not in love! I just respect her!" he insisted. But Giroro wondered momentarily if he was really _saying_ he wasn't because he didn't _want_ to be in love. 966 made a good point that it was a bad situation to be in.

"How do you know I haven't ever been in love? You don't even know how old I am. I could be married with children. Or grandchildren," 966 warned. "I could even be your father."

Giroro shivered. "You're... You're not, right?"

"I'm not. But I do have grandchildren! Eighty-seven, in fact. Ku, ku, ku!" 966 teased. Giroro just shivered again. He couldn't imagine 966 being a good dad.

"I... I don't have a crush on her! I just think she'd be a good partner." Giroro denied one last time. _She would be a good partner. I know that. She's a great person. She'd hate me if she knew 966 knew her name, but... if I could make her see my point of view, maybe she'd join us._

 _Why is it so important for her to join me, though? It's great to have her as an enemy. It keeps me on my toes._

 _I know it would be a lot easier on us if we were partners and could talk in normal situations... and it would be a lot less dangerous for either of us to meet up. But easier isn't always better._

 _Of course, if she doesn't join us, eventually she'll go against 966. And she's strong, but her mental capabilities aren't on his level. She's my enemy, not his. And 966... he could hurt her. He's a boss and a friend to me, but I don't want bad things to happen to Natsumi.  
_

 _I want them both to be on the same side. That's why it's important to me that she joins us. Because when 966 is ruling the world, I don't want her to burn with it._

 _Wanting her safety... That isn't love, is it? This isn't a crush,_ Giroro insisted to himself. He could feel his chest tighten with worry.

Things had to go well. For all of them.

"Anyway, I wanted to tell you my latest plan. The pieces you're getting will help me test one of the pieces in my latest invention," said 966. "I want to test mind control."

"Mind control? You'd turn the whole world into mindless sheep?" Giroro accused. "That's not how you want to rule, correct?"

"You're right. But it might be fun for a time. Ku, ku, ku. It can help me test their minds' susceptibility. After all, this is only a test in a piece of my plot. Mind control is needed for my winning invention, after all. Ku, ku, ku," 966 laughed.

And Giroro wondered if he was truly doing the right thing for a moment, bringing Natsumi to 966's side.

When he had joined 966, the guy's motives had been so pure. Sure, now he was a bit twisted from the way he had maintained his fortune, following the governments rule and playing along, becoming their own little personal torturer and doing all sorts of inhumane acts. But he had a pure vision. And the more days passed, his vision of equality seemed to turn into destroying all people who disagreed with him. It was less about protecting other wronged people and more about revenge and power.

Was there any more equality in his plot? There had to be. In 966's new world things would be better. Purer.

And Giroro just had to have faith in him.

* * *

The last piece of material Giroro needed was hidden at a factory. And just as he expected, Natsumi's team was waiting for him.

"Stand back, guys." Natsumi knew Giroro was still tougher than them. He was smart when it came to fighting, and despite their new moves, he was picking up on things fast. One of him could still take on four of them.

"So we meet again," Giroro grinned, trying to parry her new blows.

"What is 966 planning?" Natsumi asked.

"Nothing! I'll never tell you."

"Well, I'll never join you." She hissed, but gave him a small smile. "I knew 966 didn't tell you what he was planning. He probably doesn't trust you enough."

Giroro let out a loud growl as he tried to punch Natsumi. But he could almost feel his fist soften, as if his blows had suddenly only gone to the defensive.

He didn't want to punch Natsumi.

She was his arch-nemesis. His foe. But also his friend.

 _Love really has made me soft. I can't devote myself to 966 fully like this. It isn't him who's changed. It's me,_ Giroro realized. He had to put his all into it. No more thinking she was cute, no more enjoying the fight.

He had to just do it. They were both soldiers. Not commanders. Just soldiers. And they needed to clash.

Who was stronger once and for all?

* * *

They clashed. They fought. It was tough, but Giroro remained strong. He wouldn't let her win this time. She had won too much.

Finally she was on the ground and he had beaten her.

"I beat you for once," Giroro smiled. Natsumi's teammates rushed to her aid, but Giroro barraged them with bullets on the ground. He had no plans to kill Natsumi, just to retrieve what 966 had ordered.

"You really believe in thievery, huh?" Natsumi asked. She closed her eyes. Giroro was the type to go all-out. And losing in this kind of industry meant death.

"Summer!"

Giroro turned his head as he heard a yell in the factory. He stopped for a moment as he saw Keroro - someone he hadn't seen in years.

"Tag."

"What is it, stupid frog?" Natsumi asked. "I'm handling this."

"You don't look like you're handing it," Keroro said. "I'm tagging her. Let me fight in her place."

"Keroro... be honest. It's a fight you really want," Giroro hissed. If there was someone he hated in the Agency the most it was Keroro. That coward had stayed there, despite what Pururu had gone through!

"Maybe I want to punch some common sense into you." Keroro cracked his knuckles.

Giroro pushed Natsumi away, slipping a small piece of paper in her pocket. He still wasn't sure what he felt about 966's mind control plan, but it just felt wrong. If Natsumi's mind was going to be taken away, she deserved a fighting chance.

That and he felt kind of bad for being so tough on her. He knew she probably was even less likely to join him now. She probably hated him.

So on his little slip of paper was a very subtle clue - "He's testing mind control." Giroro thought it was brilliant.

"Go! Go back to the Agency. This is my fight. I need to resolve things with Giroro once and for all!" Keroro shouted.

Natsumi gave a small nod. She had learned her lesson about not following orders. So she walked away with her team, turning her back to Keroro.

Keroro turned toward Giroro.

"You don't even have a weapon!" Giroro laughed, pulling out a knife.

"I thought I could negotiate," said Keroro. Giroro grabbed Keroro and threw him into the air, twirling him.

"You can't. You're going to regret coming here," said Giroro. He was upon Keroro like a bear, attacking him. Keroro tried to struggle, to speak, but his fighting was pretty pathetic compared to Giroro's.

* * *

Giroro had won. His knife was up against Keroro's throat. If Keroro made even the slightest movement he was dead.

Giroro looked down at his old friend with a smirk. There was just the smallest amount of blood coming from the tip of his knife. Keroro's blood.

"Come back," Keroro begged. Even with a knife to his throat, he showed courage. "Please. Giroro. Why did you leave me?"

"I wasn't the one to leave! You left by _staying_!" Keroro was about to say that was contradictory, but Giroro stopped him. "If you try to edit my grammar I will cut you!"

"You abandoned all of us," Giroro continued. "You stayed with Pururu's killers. You joined them. We were always just tools to them. You knew that! We were treated and trained like weapons. We even had numbers they referred to us as!" he yelled. "And instead of leaving with Zeroro and me, you left us, and chose that evil!"

"It's not like that anymore. Nobody's a weapon," Keroro tried to reason with him. "We've reformed. I'm looking after a new generation. One filled with hope."

"You're corrupting them!" Giroro growled.

"They're the Agency' hope." Keroro smiled. "Their new A-team."

" _We_ were the A-team. And look at what happened to us. 'Oh Giroro you're so strong, so skilled, so great! Yeah, we're not going to mention how we're sending a _tweenager_ to fight front line wars!' That messes a kid up. We saw one of our best friends die in front of us!" he screamed. "The chemical burns... The images... They won't ever leave me. The Agency is scum. They killed my freakin' brother just because he didn't agree with them and wanted to change the way things ran!"

"Garuru tried to start a rebellion," Keroro reminded him.

"They'll hurt your precious A-team. They'll do the same thing to Summer and the rest. And what'll you do? You'll just stand by and wait for the next team. Because you won't ever leave, you coward." Giroro spoke quietly but viciously. "This is why I joined 966. Because at least he isn't you."

Keroro was silent for a moment. "The same thing won't happen again. I'll protect the new A-team. No matter what. Summer, Snow, Peach, More - They won't be hurt. I'll protect them no matter what," he said again. He looked up at Giroro, whose eyes were cold and murderous.

Despite the blade being against Keroro's throat, he didn't look the least bit afraid. It was like he had the whole situation handled.

Giroro took the knife off. So that was how Keroro wanted to do things. This whole conversation... He had just been looking for Giroro's motives so he could reassure him that the same things wouldn't happen.

Giroro got up off of Keroro and grabbed the material he needed.

"Farewell," he said. He didn't kill him and instead left him on the ground. He had won. Though he could have killed Keroro, he didn't.

He believed Keroro for a moment when Keroro had told him that nobody would be hurt.

He wanted to believe.

* * *

 **I had plans to write more yesterday, but I got sick. =( But I'm better now.**

 **Please review.**


	9. Grand Dance

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

 **Here ya go. Another chapter.**

* * *

Keroro wiped at his brow with a wet towel. "He won."

Natsumi didn't have anything she could tell Keroro. She had lost against Giroro, too.

"What do you think 966 is going to make with those materials?" asked Saburo. "We have no clues, no idea what his plan will be at all." He couldn't brighten the mood to the agency's loss, but he tried to keep them on track. "We don't even know if Giroro will steal again. For all we know, 966 has the materials he needs now and the world could be doomed."

"Don't give up, Saburo!" Natsumi pleaded.

"When our main team loses against him so much, it's kind of hard not to." Saburo laughed for a moment, jabbing at her pride. She frowned... that wasn't particularly nice.

"Natsumi's been training very hard. We all have, with Tamama's new training procedures," Momoka said. "It's just that our morale is low... We've been getting beaten so much."

"I'm sorry." Natsumi honestly was. "I should have never been beaten. The stupid frog shouldn't have needed to go on the field. He could have died. Giroro could have killed him." She didn't know how Giroro felt about Keroro anymore, but he had seemed more dangerous in their latest battle. The friendship they once had was now permanently broken. It was if Giroro was trying to distance himself from them, especially her. She knew her secret - her name was still safe in Giroro's hands - but the lives of others wasn't something she was willing to gamble with.

"He didn't kill me, though. I think there's still an ounce of good in him deep down," said Keroro. He was letting Mois baby him, bandaging him up as Tamama narrowed his eyes and watched her like a hawk. "I just wish I had concrete proof that he was good. That there was something in him to make him doubt his loyalty."

Natsumi wished, too. She fingered her shirt pocket, feeling a slim piece of paper. She pulled it out and read it with a confused expression. She didn't remember putting anything in there!

"966 is going to use mind control," she spoke. "Giroro... He must have slipped me this in battle!"

"Mind control? But... mind control isn't possible." Saburo flipped through some files. "Mind susceptibility is a theory that you could make someone do something for you if you subtly prodded and suggested it to them in a particular way... but it hasn't been perfected to be used in any government organizations or corporations beyond normal marketing. Achieving absolute mind control would take some serious thinking on a whole other level." He ran his hand through his hair. "This is bad. Very bad. So this is what he was planning."

"Mois, I'm good. No need to stroke my hair." Keroro pushed her off when he saw Saburo sweating at the news about 966. "Okay. We have the facts, our mission, and our goal. All of you will undertake constant training from now on," he ordered. "We will investigate every 966 incident. We _have_ to find him. This guy is a serious threat. We cannot let him achieve absolute mind control. It'll be over for all of us."

Natsumi grinned. Constant training... she could do that! So she would pretty much live in the dorms with Koyuki for a bit as she tried to better herself. 966 would not win this time.

She had to work on increasing Mois and Momoka's strength, too. They kept getting their butts kicked way too easily.

"I'll get my men to do your homework for you. No need to worry about school..." said Keroro. "No outside activities, either."

"NO!" It was Momoka who refused, slamming her fists on the table. "You can't do that."

"Well, I suppose you'll have to still take care of your work as an heiress," said Keroro, "but that benefits us, so it's fine, Momoka - "

Steam poured from her mouth. "I have planned for over a _month_ to make our school dance extravagant! You are not letting us skip it. It's going to be the night of our lives!"

Natsumi opened her mouth for a moment. _Oh yeah. We have a school dance coming up!_ It was the talk of the school - everyone was excited about it. A night of dancing... an excuse to ask someone out. Natsumi mostly didn't care much for it. Why go to a school dance with normal high school boys when she was a spy that could be running around rooftops stopping bad guys? A school dance seemed so juvenile and boring compared to that.

The only one she had talked to about it was Mois, who was very excited about it. Romance and all. Natsumi had easily shrugged and said she was ditching.

"You got Fukki to accept, didn't you?" Tamama said bluntly, a smile on his face. He hadn't known Momoka for very long but he had kind of gotten friendly with her. Also, her crush on Fuyuki was quite apparent.

Momoka blushed. "Nothing is going to stop me from dancing with Fuyuki. He accepted my invitation to go on a date with him! Okay, so he might not think of it as a date... but whatever! He's going with me! That's all that matters."

Natsumi would have laughed if things weren't so serious. "Momoka... maybe we could have a dance just for you two back at the office?"

"I agree with Momoka, actually," said Mois. "Can we _please_ have the day off for the dance? Everybody at school knows Tamama and me! They all expect us to go, so it would be weird if we skipped out."

Keroro frowned. "Look, I'm your guys' boss! I say _no dance_! Did you miss the part about a super villian developing mind control? We can't just call off work so you can get your teen hormones on!"

Momoka crossed her arms. "Our boss, huh?" She sat down with a smirk. "And... could you remind me who funds this agency? Who owns half of the world's economy? Who is more powerful than you can ever imagine?"

Keroro gulped. "Be reasonable, Momoka."

"He accepted a date with me!" she reiterated. "Nobody is ruining that for me. Not you _or_ 966! I will break his mind control just to dance with Fuyuki, if that's the case. But we are going to the dance and that's final."

Keroro slumped in his seat. Why did the agency continue to hire rash teens and children instead of competent adults like Saburo? Saburo was level-headed. Smart. Collected. More Peach Summer Snow, on the other hand? Only Koyuki seemed to be able to follow orders and not think about _dancing_.

Keroro was defeated. "I... I suppose than you can all go to that dance. Mois makes a good point about it being suspicious if you were missing."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?" Natsumi just looked at him oddly. "B-but... But what about all the cool spy stuff we could be doing to deal with 966?"

"There are other spies in this agency. And Koyuki will be staying here, of course," he said matter-of-factly.

Natsumi just kicked at the floor. She wanted to have a training montage. She didn't want to go to a boring dance!

"You didn't get a date, did you, Natsumi?" Keroro asked with a smirk.

She looked pretty annoyed. "Shut up. I don't want a date. I want to stop villains."

"I can be your date!" Koyuki volunteered.

"Nah, last time you went out in public, you challenged what was _then_ a civilian to a fight. AND LOST," he reminded her. Tamama sneered and stuck his tongue at her. Keroro sighed. "I can't even believe this..."

"I'm sure you'll find someone. I can ask one of the guys I know, if you want," Mois offered.

Natsumi shook her head. That was even more humiliating. "I'll just go alone."

"All right," she agreed. "I'm just so happy and excited we get another break! Like, we got one recently, but hopefully Tamama won't almost _die_ this time." She smiled and hugged Keroro. "Thank you! I'll think of you while dancing!"

"Get your paws off of him, woman," Tamama growled. "Don't tell me you have your eyes on this prize, too!"

Keroro struck a pose. "I _do_ like to be referred to as a prize, given my stunning appearance."

"I'm not doing anything wrong. There's no crime for... well..." She blushed. "...being in love."

Tamama gasped. "Oh no, you didn't just - ! You stole my popularity. My candy. Everything. But you are _not_ stealing _him_. I didn't know it was possible to hate you anymore than I did, but now I do." He glared at her.

 _Love, huh? Wish that was true,_ Natsumi thought to herself. Clearly Tamama was conned by this act. Maybe Saburo, too, because he was smiling at the little act. Natsumi wasn't fooled. Mois talked _waaay_ too much about her boyfriend to be really in love with Keroro. It was more for her disguise than anything else.

 _I guess disguises take more than putting a ribbon around your face or changing your hair color. It's changing actions and personality, too,_ she realized.

Still, she wished Mois was in love with Keroro. He was stupid, but he was in the agency and she could potentially get together with him. He wasn't bratty or dorky like Kululu. And he wasn't constantly checking out Koyuki. That was going to blow up reeeaaally badly.

 _If I can't take out world-wide evil the night of the dance, I suppose I'll have to settle for the evil in my friends' lives._ Natsumi cracked her knuckles. _I'll confront Kululu about his feelings for Koyuki and I'll kick his butt. He doesn't deserve Mois. Way easier than kicking 966's butt, but still a nice warm-up._

Maybe good would still come from this dance. She had been filled with dread for it, but now it didn't seem too bad.

"Keroro...~" Tamama said in a sing-song voice. "You know I go to that school with the dance, right?"

"Um... yeah. Obviously. You're in Natsumi's and Mois's grade. I know that," Keroro told him.

"Yeah! Well, I don't have a date, either! I was going to go just to pig out on food and be beautiful and let people know how much better I am than them." He gave him puppy-dog eyes. "But if someone... say, _you_ wanted to come and be my date... they allow you to bring older dates from outside of the school and you're not too much older..."

"Ummm... I'm going to stay here and do actual work, like a normal person!" said Keroro.

"But I'm so cute!" Tamama whined.

Saburo looked between the two of them and draped an arm around Keroro's shoulder. "You know... about 966... and about Tamama..." He whispered something to Keroro that Natsumi couldn't hear.

Keroro's eyes light up with some sort of wonder and realization. "That can't be true! You really think that?"

"It's the only hypothesis I have. One way to find out, right? So you might as well accept being Tamama's date," Saburo suggested.

"Fine. T-Tamama... I guess I'll be your date." Keroro avoided eye contact and blushed a little bit.

"SQUEE! He's mine now, woman!" Tamama was joyful and grabbed Keroro's arm. He looked so happy, so innocent.

"Aww... you're kind of cute - uh, I mean, this could be kind of fun. You probably think me being your date is an innocent sort of thing," Keroro looked at Tamama like he was a child.

"We gonna bang!" Tamama stated.

Keroro turned deep red and dove under a pile of paperwork.

Natsumi laughed. "Awww! That's kind of cute, stupid frog! You have a boyfriend!" she grinned. "Didn't know you'd be so embarrassed."

"I... I have a lot of th-things to do, like, um... look! There's like a speck of dust on my desk! And, oh, did anyone notice we had a clock in here?" Keroro was rambling. "So don't talk to me."

Natsumi cackled more.

"We're all going, though. So it's no big deal! I mean, besides Koyuki," he pointed out.

"Yeah, I'll be going too," Saburo nodded, "All right if I go with you, Natsumi?" He gave her one of his winning smiles.

Natsumi turned a deep shade of pink. Despite all her failures, Saburo was asking her out? It was like a dream!

Maybe... this dance wouldn't be as bad as she originally thought.

* * *

Natsumi put more preparations into the dance than was necessary. She had a date with the greatest spy ever after all - Saburo!

Giroro, Keroro, 966, they could wait. She actually had a social life for once!

Koyuki was happy to help her dress up for this dance. She did seem a little concerned how everybody was not looking into Giroro's location and instead focusing on this dance. But she kept her mouth shut because all of her friends were excited.

Natsumi knew this would be a great night.

* * *

The dance was held in a large, extravagant ball room. Momoka had had it built for the school just for this event.

Natsumi walked in, trying to stand tall and have confidence in herself. She just needed to act cool around Saburo. This was a break from the 966 mission.

Students were standing all around chattering as lights shone. everywhere. She could see some outfits had more effort than others, but Natsumi couldn't see Saburo in sight. He and Keroro probably hadn't gotten there yet.

"Mois! Stop fussing! It's fine." Natsumi could hear Kululu's voice and she turned to see a faint blush across his cheeks. He was looking down at his girlfriend, who was fixing his cape.

"But it's not in the middle. The bow isn't even tied properly," Mois pouted.

"I don't even know why you put me in a cape. That's not appropriate attire for a dance. I'll step on it!" Kululu complained.

"But you look so cute in it," she teased. "I've never seen you dressed so fancy!"

"I look more like some sort of _super villain_ than a high schooler at a dance. Well, unless I was attending some masquerade ball I suppose. Then it would be appropriate attire. But I suppose I can't blame _you_ for reading the fliers wrong." Kululu was clearly placing blame.

"Awww, sorry! I really thought it was a masquerade!" she apologized.

"Then why aren't _you_ in a fancy masquerade dress? Why didn't _you_ bring a mask?" Kululu asked. His mask was now in the trash.

"Ummm..." She looked off to the side.

He sighed. "It was just a scheme to get me in fancy clothes, huh?"

"I can't help it! You're so fun to dress up... Are you mad at me?"

"A little bit. I do look awful threatening. And you know I couldn't hurt a fly!" Kululu pulled her closer and kissed her ear. "I love you anyway, you're still the cutest thing to be created by this earth. Dressing me up because you've got a thing for this sort of stuff doesn't tick me off _too_ much... In fact, it makes me more turned on than anything - "

She covered his mouth with her hand. "Shhh... Natsumi at 12 o'clock."

Kululu stopped flirting. Instead of blushing or acting dorky, he just looked at Natsumi with this weird and threatening gaze.

"Mois! You're here... early?" She tried to ignore Kululu's stare. Was it threatening? Was he leering at her? He was looking her up and down, examining each part of her body like she was a piece of meat. She guessed that now that Koyuki was gone, he was ready to cheat on Mois with the next person. And she was that new object of affection.

"Yeah. I was at Kululu's house," Mois smiled. "You should see it! So many alarms..."

Kululu draped an arm around Mois's shoulder. "H-hey, maybe _don't_ invite your friend to my house? You know how shy I am..."

This startled her. "Sorry, Kululu!"

"It's all right." He ruffled her hair and looked at her affectionately.

Natsumi tried not to make a disgusted face. Then she realized since Saburo hadn't shown up that this was a perfect time to talk to Kululu. She just needed to get him alone.

 _I can make this into a mission. Get the target on his own so I can take him out. Simple and easy. Should I man-handle or go the manipulation route? I think I'll do manipulation._ Natsumi wasn't that skilled in that area and could always use some practice. "Having fun?" she asked Mois.

"A lot! I was just trying to convince Kululu to dance with me, but he keeps tripping." Mois looked down a bit disappointed. "I wanna dance!"

"I can't help it that I can't keep up with a cheerleader," he defended. "I'm not a very good dancer."

 _Dork,_ Natsumi thought. "Well, I'm sure _loads_ of other guys would just _love_ to dance with Mois if you can't."

Kululu's eyebrow twitched. Natsumi grinned a little bit. He should feel the pain. Mois could be with whoever she wanted if he had the gall to mentally cheat on her. Who knew, maybe he actually WAS cheating on her? "Hey, Mois? My date hasn't arrived yet. Mind if I teach Kululu to dance while I wait?"

Mois looked confused by the request. "I can't agree to things for Kululu - "

"I'll dance with her," he decided. Mois's mouth opened up a little bit in shock. So he wouldn't dance with _her_ , but he'd dance with Natsumi?

"Good, can you look for Saburo while I teach him to dance." Natsumi grabbed Kululu's gloved hand and pulled him away, leaving Mois alone.

"Good luck?" Mois wasn't even sure what was happening. All she knew was Natsumi was now gone with her boyfriend.

And she left to go scout out Keroro and Saburo.

* * *

As soon as Mois was gone, Kululu's attitude immediately changed. The nice, though pathetic, dorky person that Natsumi was used to now looked at her with a threatening glare. He gripped her arm and had no empathy in his eyes. Even so, there was interest in his eyes.

 _He's probably checking me out. Looking at me like I'm a piece of meat._ Natsumi felt disgusted as Kululu spun her.

He wasn't as bad at dancing as he had claimed. His moves were more calculated and defined than he had implied. They had a dramatic flair to them.

"I thought you said you couldn't dance," Natsumi said. "You're leading me more than I'm leading you."

"I can't dance with Mois. You ever tried to dance with someone who jumps around as a hobby? She's way too agile and... and cute! And she always looks up at me with those eyes—" He cleared his throat.

"Not a nice way to talk about your girlfriend," she chided. "You know Mois is a very good friend of mine."

"I... know. She talks about you a lot. Truth be told, before the train ride, I was wondering what kind of person this mysterious Natsumi was, but meeting you..." A soft smile spread across his lips. Natsumi smiled as well, ready to hear it. "...was a big disappointment."

Her jaw dropped. What an awful thing to say! Was this how he won girls? "I could say the same about you. The moment I met you, I knew you weren't right for Mois."

Kululu continued dancing with her, hand on hers as he twirled her. Their dance stayed intense, classmates unaware of the hatred airing between them.

"I could say the same about you. It took me a bit to realize it, but she doesn't need friends like you." He was glaring now.

"She doesn't need you in her life. I caught you looking at Koyuki. I caught you looking at me, even. We're not just some flings you can use to cheat on Mois. I know who you are. You're scum. Pervy, cheating scum," she accused.

Kululu's glasses glinted. "What's the problem at looking at Koyuki? Is that a crime? And don't read into it too much. I'm looking at you exactly as how you are - an annoying twerp. I wouldn't want any sort of relationship with either of you."

"You're only going to end up hurting her. And when you do, there will be hell to pay. So back off now and maybe you won't get your butt kicked so humiliatingly that you'll piss your pants in front of the entire school and go crying back to your mommy!" she threatened.

Kululu gripped her waist, his fingernails digging in. "I would never hurt Mois, so don't even _think_ of threatening me like that. But you, on the other hand, are definitely going to end up hurting her. She doesn't even know your true nature," he hissed. Natsumi wondered what he meant. Probably that she was mean and threatening Mois's boyfriend. "But I'm going to tell you simply, if you hurt Mois, you won't even have to worry about crying. All your worries, all your hopes, dreams, happiness, anger, sadness... It will be gone. Because I will _end_ you," he whispered it into her ear. "So good luck, Natsumi Hinata. Good luck trying your hardest to not hurt Mois."

Natsumi felt a chill. His words were just a regular, immature threat, but he said them so calmly. It wasn't a real death threat. She knew that. He just carried himself so highly. She was just caught off-guard.

He bowed after the dance and turned away. "A sufficient dancing lesson. Thank you."

"I found Saburo!" Mois ran toward Natsumi, pulling Saburo by the hand. Kululu tried to avoid looking at Mois holding another guy's hand so he wouldn't be too jealous. But the two quickly switched partners.

Saburo waved as Mois left. "Who was that?" he asked. "Didn't know you had someone else to dance with."

"Mois's boyfriend," said Natsumi.

Saburo furrowed his brow. "Didn't know she HAD a boyfriend. She's not supposed to."

"It's for her cover. And to keep her admirers away," Natsumi explained. Saburo nodded. Still, he was in the dark that she even had one.

"Poor sucker." Saburo just shook his head.

"Umm... want to dance?" Natsumi asked, her face turning a little red.

"Hmm... I suppose that would make me fit in best. But I have work to do," he told her.

Natsumi frowned, tears welling up in her eyes. _Did he ask me out just so he could do undercover work? Damn._ She didn't like being used.

That was just beginning of that night.

* * *

Momoka loved dancing with Fuyuki. She loved talking with him. But surprisingly, she felt a little bad about ditching her friends and their mission - catching 966.

 _Should I have really made us stop working?_ she wondered. People smiled all around her, but she was filled with doubt. This was a perfect opportunity with the boy of her dreams, but was it right?

"Is something wrong, Momoka?" Fuyuki asked, tilting her chin a bit to see her frown. Momoka blushed.

"I... I wanted so badly to go to the dance with you that I canceled work. But... 966 is planning something awful," she confessed.

Fuyuki smiled a little. "It was sweet that you wanted to dance with me. But we could have done that any day. And we're here now, so that's what matters. I think all you need to do is start planning how to kick that guy's butt. If you want, we can sit down at a table with some punch and work."

Momoka shook her head. "As long as I keep my eyes on the mission, I think I'm good." There had to be a mission here. Why else would Saburo of all people ask Natsumi out? Although Natsumi had a big crush on him, it was common knowledge to all but her that he wasn't very interested. Sometimes his missions involved him getting into a relationship with someone of power and getting their secrets. He was a player; it was easy for Natsumi to fall for him. He loved flirting, but he didn't really like anyone.

He had flirted with Koyuki, Mois... and Fuyuki, oddly enough, when Natsumi wasn't around. Momoka just felt sorry for her.

 _She's going to get her heart crushed eventually unless she grows out of it,_ she thought to herself. Sad.

* * *

Far away from the ballroom, Giroro walked along the top of rooftops. His orders were to install a weird device 966 had created that would make most of the city's populace's minds turn to mind-controlled mush.

It was a prototype, to see if a mind control plot could successfully make him rule the world.

 _Odd. Natsumi isn't attacking me,_ Giroro realized when he was scouting out the perfect location for this antenna. He had looked into if Natsumi would be safe when the antenna hit the ground. The signal didn't reach her school, and from what he had looked into, her school was having this big dance thing that night, anyway.

So Natsumi might be the only one not affected by the mind control. Everybody else, including anyone in the agency's office, where he knew the new location of, would be 966's puppets.

He found the perfect rooftop. Big, large, and had the electrical ports 966 had described to him that he needed.

"Here," Giroro decided, smiling and walking toward the roof.

"Oh no you don't," someone hissed. Giroro turned around and faced a middle-aged woman dressed in a motorcycle jacket and looking quite cool. Her dark blue hair was tied up in a ponytail. She smiled, cracking her knuckles. "I won't let you."

"You from the agency?" Giroro asked. He didn't recognize this agent.

"Yeah. Just got called back from a big mission to kick your butt. Heard my daughter's been doing a good job of that, but she's busy," said the woman.

Giroro paused a moment as he did a double-take. "Your daughter is Summer?"

The woman smiled. "Name's Fall. Prepared to get your butt kicked by me, too?"

Giroro grinned. "I've put Summer behind me. It's a new season for me. I won't be getting humiliated again any time soon."

Aki rushed at him, ready to attack. But Giroro easily defended her blows. Unlike Natsumi, her fighting style was solely the agency's, and Giroro knew it well. After only a few short moments, Aki was lying on the ground, covered in bruises and unable to move.

"You're not as good as your daughter. Retire," Giroro said harshly.

Aki just grit her teeth. "My daughter is extraordinary," she agreed. Her voice sounded calm, but inside she was panicking. _I wasn't supposed to lose!_ _I was chosen for this mission because I'm one of the agency's top agents._ But Giroro was devised to be a soldier. He was tougher than her in hand-to-hand combat.

She couldn't lose. The world would be doomed if she did. So as Giroro turned his back on her, she pulled out something from her pocket. _I've never used one of these because they blow too much up, but Mois made them. Maybe it's time to test them._ She threw it at the antenna just as Giroro put it down.

In a flash of light, Aki's brain was mush. She just lay there awaiting orders from 966, but the moment of blankness didn't last long. In a flash of light the antenna blew up. Giroro jumped backward before he could be caught in the explosion.

"DAMMIT!" Giroro growled. "Now I'll have to go back to the warehouse and get another! That's going to take a whole ten minutes."

Aki's eyes widened. It only minorly inconvenienced him? She couldn't move, though - the mind control, however brief, had tired her out. Most of the populace must be lying on the ground just from the brief invasion in their heads.

Giroro rushed off before she could get up and stop him.

 _Natsumi. Fuyuki. Be safe._

* * *

The explosion had been pretty large and had taken out Giroro's ideal broadcrasting spot. And although he had a new prototype, he didn't know where to stick it.

He took out his small little tracker, invented by 966, that showed the best locations for a signal the closer he got.

"Wish I could just ask 966 to his face where he wants me to put this. But he had to be in a business meeting of some sort. I didn't even know he talked to anyone besides me." Giroro frowned. It was probably those government officials 966 was catfishing for money. At least, he used to be doing that before Giroro had come to work for him. That's what he told him, at least.

The light on his device started blinking with a very good location. Lots of people to test and a good signal throughout the city. "N-Natsumi's school..." Giroro realized. Or, more precisely, where her dance was taking place.

966 had given him specific orders not to attack the school, but he wasn't attacking it. Just placing something there. So... it was okay. And he kind of wanted to provoke Natsumi into fighting him.

But Natsumi might be put in danger. _No. You have to put Natsumi out of your head. Remember? You're a villain. You're not in love with her or something._ Seducing her to the dark side had not gone well, but he was willing enough if she chose to join of her own accord. Still, thinking of Natsumi was getting in the way of his job.

He had to move on.

"So... the school, I suppose." He headed off.

* * *

"Sorry, Natsumi," Giroro apologized on the roof of the school. He broke the glass of one of the skylights.

Students screamed as someone jumped down from the rooftop.

"G-Giroro?" Natsumi was shocked. So work _wouldn't_ wait. But she couldn't attack him in public! She had a reputation to maintain.

Giroro smiled. "No battle. All your minds will be ours soon - " He was about to plunge the antenna into the ground just as the lights went out, casting the building in total darkness.

Everybody screamed.

More skylights broke and glass rained down, letting the moonlight stream in. Ropes were thrown down as the ninjas that they had seen on the beach jumped down.

"Orders, sir?" spoke of the ninja asked.

"Take them all out!" said another.

 _Oh no. Oh no! Oh no._ Natsumi gritted her teeth as the ninjas wildly attacked. Things were bad enough with just Giroro, but now the ninja were only here to "spread chaos" and get Giroro and her to attack each other? They would have done that on their own! Now they probably had to team up against them or something...

Students screamed. In a panic, every one started rushing around. Nishizawa guards flowed in to fight the ninja. Priceless artifacts, windows, and chandeliers of all sorts started shattering.

Natsumi was so worried for her fellow classmates and friends. She couldn't see where Giroro was if he had started the mind control or something. It was too dark.

She felt a hand on her arm. Saburo pulled her under the table.

"Saburo?" Natsumi asked, barely making out his silhouette. "Wh-what's going on...?"

"Sorry, Natsumi. I organized this a little bit." Saburo tried to be chipper. He handed her her uniform. "Your mother lured Giroro away from his ideal location so that he would only be able to broad-cast from this school. Your mom was beaten, thanks to Giroro being familiar with the agency's fighting style, but I wanted to nip this mind control thing in the butt," Saburo confessed. "So I lured him to where your team was so you could take him out on familiar territory. It's your time to be a hero."

So that was the plan. Natsumi smiled, although she didn't like being used. "What about all the ninja? Was that part of the plan?"

"Yeah, you'll recognize they don't fight the same as the old ones. We're impersonating them for another reason... Just an inkling of a suspicion I have. I'll tell you if it's confirmed to be true." He shot her a smile. "You, Momoka, and Mois can take them easily. Go be a hero."

Natsumi nodded and let him turn around while she changed into her outfit as quickly as she could. She wiggled out of under the table to face the ninjas and Giroro.

Her eyes adjusted for a moment to see Koyuki there.

"I was called in," Koyuki smiled. "Students have started being evacuated by the Nishizawa guards." She looked around at the attacking Nishizawas putting on a show by only pretend-fighting the Nishizawa guards in non-fatal ways.

"Wh-what's with the ninjas?" Koyuki was very confused.

"I'll tell you later. We have to stop Giroro before he uses that mind control antenna," Natsumi told her. She pushed her anger at Saburo out of her head and tried to look for Giroro, or for anyone she recognized.

Momoka and Mois quickly joined Natsumi's ranks and smiled, eventually finding Giroro standing on the stage, ready to plunge the antenna into the ground.

"You can't stop me. Sorry," Giroro told them, laughing. It was dark, and he worked much better in darkness than they did. "Even with these weird ninja things."

They got ready to fight. But at that exact moment, the lights turned on and Giroro screamed at something behind Natsumi.

"Argh!" Natsumi rubbed her forehead at the bright lights. She looked at Giroro, who was pale as a ghost.

"I don't know what's going on here, but this is a bit much for the agency if they want to stop my plans, huh? Ku, ku, ku." Natsumi heard a terrifying laughter and turned around. Near the doorway stood 966, who looked and sounded just as his holographic version had. How had he gotten there? She wasn't sure. But his hand was on the light switch.

"Don't know who these dumb ninja guys are, but their party's over. Ku, ku, ku." 966 pressed a button on a device he had attached to his glove. A cold blast circulated around the room, freezing everyone in place.

 _No...No! 966 is here?_ Natsumi frowned. Giroro, she could deal with, but both of them at once? Maybe this was the final battle.

Nobody could move. Not the fake ninjas, not them, not the Nishizawa guards, not even the fleeing students.

966 laughed. "Ku, ku, ku." He walked slowly and dramatically up to the stage with Giroro, who was just as frozen as the rest of them. "Now... Giroro, buddy, pal... What orders did I give you?" He draped his arm around Giroro ignoring the rest of them.

Natsumi wanted to move, to stop 966 from attaching the antenna, but she couldn't. She was struggling. They all were. But none of them could move. They could speak, but Natsumi was so scared, she couldn't. Scared that she had lost. That all her friends and she were going to die.

"Attach this to the place with the best signal," Giroro told him simply. "And this ballroom has the best signal. It'll get the entire city instead of that one small district you told me to look at."

966's face moved closer to Giroro's so that they were eye to eye. He said a bit quieter, "Yes, but what did I _tell_ you concerning this _school_?"

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... never attack it. But, you see, I'm not attacking it! I'm testing your invention! Nobody will be hurt, don't worry," he assured. "I wasn't planning on hurting anyone. But then the ninjas came in and - "

966 grabbed Giroro's collar and kicked him in the gut with his sharp boot, throwing him across the stage. "DO NOT EVER ATTACK THIS SCHOOL. YOU HEAR ME? I made that very simple! DO NOT TOUCH THIS PLACE. And you deliberately disobeyed me. Sorry buddy, but there's going to have to be some punishments here. Ku, ku, ku. After all, the future ruler of the world can't go easy on anyone who's disobeyed him." 966 pressed something and Giroro was zapped with electricity.

"OW... what was that?" Giroro asked.

"Electrical chip I installed in you. Ku, ku, ku. Better than the Agency's. You hardly noticed." He released another diabolical laugh.

Giroro's eyes widened as he realized 966 had done to him exactly what the Agency had. The last bits of 966's comradery and human emotions were slipping away... if they had even BEEN there in the first place! Giroro had thought they were friends! But 966 had attacked him in his anger.

"Not only that, but you were conned," 966 continued. "These ninja here don't attack like the Underground. I bet it's just the Agency's little show to lure you out. Ku, ku, ku. Idiot." He pressed a button, and the frozen ninjas disintegrated into dust.

He had killed them in only a second.

"Y-you... You killed them!" Momoka squeaked out, finally drawing attention to her. They had just been agents acting... and 966 had killed them. He could kill everyone else, too. They were all in his hands, his toys to play with.

They had lost.

"Huh?" 966 wasn't very interested in Natsumi's team, but he glanced at Momoka. "Sure did. I can't forgive anyone who puts these poor lonely students in danger." His voice dropped volume. "Hmmm... the Nishizawa heir? Geez, you'll have to do better than putting a ribbon around your face to hide your identity. I always forget I live in a world of idiots."

Momoka was able to break free of her frozen shackles and paralysis just to slump onto the floor in defeat. Her identity - broken in front of all the students. Hopefully they hadn't been listening. 966 was right about the idiot thing. But he had easily figured her out.

"Did you hear that?" the students chattered. Momoka covered her ears. "966 saved us from that evil agency that sent ninjas to attack! Wow, he's a hero! He's chosen to protect us!" The students cheered his name.

Natsumi's eyes widened. No! That was the opposite of what they were supposed to think. Why were they cheering _his_ name?

966 was probably grinning under his mask. He looked at his hand snarkily, as if he was the best. "Yeah, I know, I'm the greatest. Keep on cheering for me."

Was that why he had chosen to not attack the school? Because high schoolers were idiots and would happily make him their leader?

Natsumi wasn't sure. But she was sure of one thing. Because of the damage he had done to Giroro, it was clear this was the real 966 and not some hologram.

If Momoka could break free from the paralysis, she could. Struggling with all her might, she managed to finally move her foot. Koyuki and Mois got the idea and finally were able to move forward.

"966, I think it's time for a rematch." Natsumi jumped onto the stage. ,A real 966 she could attack. Much better than a hologram. "I might have lost this time, but you won't beat my team. We're More Peach Summer Snow and we will save this school - even the world - from your grasp."

"Sure I'll fight you," 966 shrugged, "Miss Natsumi Hinata...~ ku, ku, ku." He said her real name in barely a whisper.

She turned pale and glanced at Giroro. _YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T TELL HIM!_ she wanted to shout. Giroro was crap. He had broken his promise and he was as good as dead to her now. She was so ticked off. All her fears were turning to reality.

"Summer, stop! You'll lose. He's much tougher than us right now," Koyuki advised. Natsumi shook her head. She couldn't give up. If she did, it was over. He wouldn't just leave without hurting everyone, without turning their minds to mush.

So she couldn't walk away either.

"966, our team will beat you!" Mois shouted.

966 tilted his head and stepped back.

"I won't forgive someone for conning the students like you do - hurting this planet!" She pulled herself off the stage to confront him. "You might want to protect this school, but so do I. And I will not forgive you for you _or_ your henchmen for attacking something I find so precious!" Her speech was overdone and heroic, but it seemed to get the students back on their side, chanting the words "More Peach Summer Snow" instead of "966" like they were witnessing sports teams fighting and weren't all in danger.

 _Mois, nice job playing for the crowd, but we're still in danger. Wait - don't pull out an explosive! It could hurt some civilians!_ Natsumi put a hand on Mois's before she went fishing for firecrackers in her bag.

To her surprise, 966 clutched his head. "Wait, who are - No... No...! It couldn't be... That doesn't make sense! But - " He looked among Mois, Koyuki and Natsumi.

"What? Scared to fight us now that you've seen my whole team?" Natsumi teased. She could see 966 was shaking, much to her confusion. "Attack on my signal - "

She was cut off by both Koyuki and Mois charging at him. He pushed Koyuki away with a blast from his glove that exerted some sort of air pressure, making her just jump back to the wall, but he grabbed Mois's hand lightly and moved his face closer to hers.

"Your eyes - "

"What's wrong with my eyes?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said quickly.

Mois punched him in the gut. Her hand was greeted by his thin layer of dense armor and she cried out in pain.

Natsumi frowned. They were getting beaten. But to her surprise, 966 turned away. He grabbed his antenna and looked at Giroro.

"Get up. We're leaving. We're done here," he told him.

"O... okay..." Giroro seemed just as confused as Natsumi. "But... what about More Peach Summer Snow?"

"They can have the victory, if they want. I'm bored," 966 said simply. And he and Giroro left.

An hour later, paramedics came to the school and unfroze everyone. Natsumi still wasn't sure what had happened.

Had they lost? Won? What was going on?

Why had 966 acted so weirdly? Why had they survived that battle?

She didn't know.

* * *

 **Please review!**


	10. The Phantom of the Warehouse

**This chapter's mainly Kurumois. Yo.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

Giroro had just come out of the shower at work. He was still looking for the chip 966 had installed in him, unsettled by the invasion on his body. It was exactly the type of the thing the Agency would do. At one point, 966 had been less twisted than them. But now he was a deranged mind. The twisted smile on his mask reflected exactly who he was. There was no emotion in him.

He walked in to 966's control room, still in a wet towel as his boss sat at a desk surrounded by at least five different computers. The odd thing was, 966 was visibly upset and shaking. He pushed one of the precious computers into the wall.

"DAMMIT. DAMMIT. DAMMIT," he screamed loudly. Giroro had never seen him like this. And the yelling sounded awfully weird with his voice modifier. "MORE PEACH SUMMER SNOW. STUPIDEST DAMN TEAM EVER. WHAT THE HELL? How could I have been so blind? I mean, sure, my eyesight is bad, but I _never_ thought I'd be _so_ blind." 966 slumped in his chair, putting his face in his hands and crying.

Giroro hid behind the corner of the wall. It was the first time he had ever seen 966 be so angry, so emotional... So human. Getting angry over a petty loss and being a sore loser at least made him seem not so psychopathic. It drew Giroro's big brother instincts in, even if 966's anger was directed at Natsumi.

He wanted to comfort him. But instead he let his boss cry for a moment so that 966's anger wouldn't explode all over him.

* * *

966 had a simple scheme to hide his identity, to keep the government, spies, policy everything off the great super villain's back. And that was simple - to be who he truly was. Kululu.

His age fit perfectly enough that nobody would suspect his real activities. During the day, he was just a normal high school student, living in an apartment on his own because his parents were... overseas. Despite this, his super villain name was a play on his regular one. Nobody suspected it - that was the beauty of it all. And that was, in part, because of his new personality.

Of course, before he had devised this scheme and had just been a normal kid, he'd acted like his normal self, snarky and a bit of a jerk, but once you were catfishing the government to get loads of cash off of them, you had to have a secret identity. And his secret identity was the opposite of what he used to be. Now he was a loser and a dork, the stupidest guy in school. Nobody could get a negative score on a test - except him. He was non-threatening, a bit of a wimp, not especially kind but still couldn't hurt a fly. Pain? Sadism? What were those?

He was the perfect wimp. Nobody would have suspected him in a million years.

His secret identity had just existed to give himself some safety to hide away if danger came. That was its purpose. But once the annoying teachers had started suspecting that he needed help in school, they had assigned him a tutor, someone he was happy enough to spend time with. A tutor could provide an alibi if he needed one.

Admittedly, he hadn't expected the tutor would be so damn cute. Since she was a cheerleader and the most popular girl in school, he'd never approached her. When he got to know her, he learned that she was funny, kind, though sometimes a little ditzy on the outside. She was everything the real Kululu hated, but he tried to push it down for his secret. She could serve his purposes, after all.

He learned more and more about her as their study sessions went by. He had at first believed that she had been assigned to tutor him because her level of thinking was that of A-student. She was smart, the level of smart that he knew, if he were to explain some of his inventions, she would have been interested. She enjoyed math, computer science, and geology.

What he had first thought was just some shallow popular kid was a nerd in actuality. A cute nerd. And quickly the flirting he did "just for his cover" became real, and he started actually developing affections for her.

Nothing had been scary about it. He had denied it for a while, but there was nothing wrong with developing human emotions. It didn't make him waver from his goal. Having another life was fine, and it made his life at school more enjoyable. The moment she had accepted to be his girlfriend had been one of the most blissful in his life.

And soon enough, he treasured every little moment with her. He was hopelessly in love with her, even making sure none of his plans damaged anything she had shown interest in. He counted down the days until he conquered the world so he could announce to her that her boyfriend was now king of the world and she could be his queen. He had been confident that she'd be supportive and just scold him for not telling her sooner.

Sometimes he did wish he could let Mois know the real him, but part of him had been afraid. He wanted to at least have something impressive to show her... like a conquered planet or country... before he let the big news out.

He had always assumed he had been the only one keeping secrets... _But I wasn't,_ he reminded himself. She was a spy, someone working for the government's top spy agency. And she hadn't told him. Her hair color, her skin color, not even her height was real. _How the hell did she change all that? Man, she really is one good spy. I mean, I was COMPLETELY conned._ Kululu tried to get himself back on topic instead of idolizing her.

He couldn't blame her for keeping secrets. _He_ had to. Maybe it was part of her job. Maybe she was forced to. Although the idea crossed his mind that she was dating him just for her cover, he dismissed it. She really loved him. He knew that. Her love was so radiant, so pure, that he was confident that even if he hadn't seen all of her, he knew at least part of her true personality. Sure, he had known nothing of her background, her identity, but the true her... that had been the Mois in his arms who always kissed him and looked at him so excitedly.

And he loved all variations of her.

 _Still... this complicates things horribly,_ Kululu thought to himself. One of his enemies, someone sworn to defeat him, was actually his girlfriend. _What do I do?_ He wasn't going to give up on his goal. He had come too far. He had tortured too many, played along with the government too well, to amass a fortune so he could make whatever he wanted. All because of the injustices on his family. This wasn't about revenge. This was about changing the world.

Would Mois see it that way? Did they see eye-to-eye?

And if it came down to it... what was more important to him? His past or his future?

 _I've got to change my tone. Mois is important. I don't have to decide between them,_ Kululu decided. _But... perhaps I don't. I can make her understand._ Kululu decided.

* * *

"Giroro," 966 called. Giroro pretended that he wasn't watching his boss crying and had rather taken a moment to get there. "Ku ku ku... There's been a change in plans."

"What's the change?" asked Giroro.

"Remember More Peach Summer Snow? And how they meant nothing to us because they were just a pathetic group of teens used for the Agency's propaganda?"

"Yeah?"

"Well I have decided that they DO mean something. Ku, ku, ku. _I'll_ be taking dealing with them personally from now on. Not you," Kululu ordered.

 _No... No! This definitely means that they've pissed him off. Natsumi is pretty much dead. He plans to kill her._ Giroro tried not to let his worry show. "Why?" he squeaked out.

"The silver-haired one has some potential. I saw the explosive in her pocket. She's interested me, like Natsumi's brat of a brother." Kululu shrugged. "I think I'll convert her to my side. Ku, ku, ku."

"And... I can continue trying with Na-Summer?" Giroro asked.

"Knock yourself out."

He nodded. He didn't know why 966 wanted another for their ranks, but he had made a point that he was the boss. Giroro couldn't question it.

* * *

Natsumi paced around as her teammates - Keroro, Tamama and Saburo - sat in chairs all around the meeting room. She was still pulling at her hair. So many questions were on her mind.

"I'm so confused. AUGH! I don't understand what's going on!" she yelled.

"Well, um, we're just as confused as you are, Natsumi," said Keroro. "966 could have killed us all, but he left instead. Maybe he was making a show of how cool he was to the students?"

Natsumi stuck out her tongue. " _Duh._ None of us know the answer to that one. But I'm confused about so many things, like the ninja - I know they were agents just impersonating the ninja who attacked on the beach - but who _were_ they? Who are the freakin' ninja?"

Keroro cleared his throat. "There are some secrets that your team, and not even Saburo, has clearance too."

"I learned on my own, though." Saburo leaned in his chair.

Momoka slammed her fists on the table. "Tell us! There are no secrets that should be kept from me!"

"Yeah. I've lived here all my life! I should know, too," Koyuki insisted.

"If Keroro wants to keep it from us, it's okay," said Mois.

Keroro sighed. "They're a group called the Underground. They're like our spy agency."

"So you mean we're not the only spy organization in Japan? I thought we were!" Natsumi was surprised.

"We're the only one operating legally, under the government," Keroro explained. "The Underground isn't. They exist on the black market, doing jobs for and assassinations not for good, but for anyone who pays. They're more murderous than us. They deal information, too. But... they also don't have as many rules and regulations, secret identities or things. That's just their life. They live in the shadows of society, no undercover duty or superhero stuff or spy rescue missions."

Natsumi frowned. "That... That almost seemed more evil than 966. Should we be taking these guys out?"

"They've existed for a while. They're like our evil shadow. They don't like us, we don't like them, but it's impossible to get rid of them. If we did, there would be way more corruption and murderers on the street." Keroro sighed. "That explain it?"

Everybody nodded.

Natsumi still wasn't completely satisfied. "Well, that answered one of my questions, but second of all - "

"How'd 966 know your name?" Mois finished. A disturbance filled the air.

Natsumi scrunched her nose. She knew the answer to that one. Giroro was a traitor! She exchanged glances with Koyuki, but she didn't want to confess her screw-up.

"My question would be... how'd 966 get there so quickly to fight us?" Natsumi tried to keep the topic off of her name.

Keroro's eyes widened. "He knows your name?"

"Yeah, but it's not Natsumi's fault," Saburo defended. "I'll answer both your and Mois's questions at the same time. The reason he appeared and knew your name was actually the same reason Keroro and I went to the dance." Saburo grinned. "You see, 966's quick appearance can be explained by Tamama."

"Me?" Tamama asked, munching on chips. "How?"

"Remember when 966 captured and experimented on you? How you almost died because of it?" Saburo asked.

He frowned. "How could I forget?"

"Well, how could he capture you while you were on vacation probably watching tv and eating snacks in your hotel room?" Saburo asked. "He had to be there, in the area. He could have lived in that city, sure, been a hotel employee... I was going to investigate that next. But my hypothesis was that he is actually a high schooler. It just made sense that he went to your school. I tested it to see if he'd appear at another public school event - and sure enough, he did." Saburo smiled. "So, Natsumi, the reason he knew your name is because he goes to your school. This dangerous super-villain is no more than a high school student."

Natsumi gaped. It couldn't be. It might have just been a coincidence. Saburo was drawing conclusions only because Giroro previously knew her name. Could she tell him the truth? That 966 had learned her name from Giroro?

She knew her school. None of them had the talent, the evil, to be 966.

It wasn't possible.

* * *

Natsumi continued doubting Saburo's hypothesis as everyone dispersed. Momoka went about doing her own things of trying to defend her reputation as an heiress. Keroro was working on paperwork, Tamama was training, and Mois was sleeping. Koyuki was doing training. Natsumi didn't join her. Instead she paced, trying to figure out if she should tell Saburo about her mistake with Giroro.

Everyone was absorbed in their own little world, so nobody noticed their deep cover agency with high security being penetrated.

Nobody knew 966 had the passcodes, invisibility, or anything like that. And he entered the high-class agency.

Taking a turn at the hallway and letting no one see him, thanks to something he called an "anti-barrier" something of his own invention, he eventually got to the Agency's dorm rooms and found the one with the name tag labeled "Angol Mois."

He walked in like it was no big deal. She was sleeping soundly on a cot.

 _Geez. A cot? Giroro wasn't joking about the crummy quality of life that these agents lead. They couldn't even give her a feather mattress? No wonder she's so enamored with my bed. Well... that's one of the reasons._ Kululu picked her up, careful not to wake her.

Attaching something small to her forehead, he carried her off. And nobody stopped or prevented him from it.

She was kidnapped.

* * *

The little siren went off, signaling that Natsumi, Momoka, Koyuki and Mois had a mission.

They all ran to the main room to see what was up.

"I... I can't believe it... How did he get in?" Keroro was panicking.

"What... What happened?" Natsumi asked.

Saburo put a hand on Keroro's shoulder. "966's struck."

"What did he do this time?" Natsumi asked.

"Despite our strong security, he broke into here! Just three hours ago he was in this very office! We picked up a heat signature when reviewing security cameras, and realized it must have been him. Somehow, he was invisible. He... He appeared for a brief second in Mois's room before she disappeared, too... He kidnapped her!" Keroro was sweating.

"Oh. The travesty. I wonder if she's dead?" Tamama said with very little emotion as he hugged Keroro.

Natsumi's eyes widened. Mois was gone? Out of everyone 966 could have attacked, it was _her_? "We'll find her at whatever cost!"

"Thanks to a tracking device placed in her, we know she's already half way across the country. It'll take a while to get there, but she's alive," Saburo told them. "Rescue her."

"I will. I'm not going to let one of my members die," Natsumi vowed.

"I can't... I can't believe he did this!" Koyuki cried.

"We'll save, Mois. I promise," said Momoka.

This was the mission - the mission that put their friendship on the line. This was life or death. Either Mois survived, or none of them did.

* * *

Kululu, of course, had no intention of hurting Mois. He waited patiently for her to wake up, placing her in a bed.

"Geez,, are you just going to stare at her creepily? You never let _me_ sleep so peacefully," said Giroro.

"Ku, ku, ku. You don't need your beauty sleep, so I take it from you. That's why you're ugly. She, on the other hand? She has beauty to spare. So she can continue sleeping," Kululu laughed.

Giroro groaned. "You really _just_ going to talk to her? You kidnapped her just to have a friendly chat?"

"Call it a job interview." Kululu wheeled over to a device he had. "Ku, ku, ku..." He looked at the brain waves and smiled.

"Wait, you were scanning her with something? So there _was_ something sinister about this?" he asked.

"I'm scanning her thoughts. I'm trying to figure out how susceptible she would be to joining our side. If she isn't susceptible, she's a lost cause. I'm not as stupid as you are toward your pathetic pleas with Natsumi. Ku, ku, ku." If she was a lost cause, he'd have to figure something else out. He mentally apologized for invading her private thoughts and probing her mind.

Mois stirred.

"She's waking up!" Kululu whispered. "Leave, quick!" She had always wanted to wake up in a bed like this in a strange place, as if she was sleeping beauty with someone handsome (him, she had clarified) by her side. It was one of her "I want to be a fairy tale princess" fantasies. Now he could actually make it happen.

Sort of.

"Why? You have a crush on her or something? Why do you have to talk alone?" Giroro asked. If he could tease 966 for even a moment, it was worth it, after all 966 had teased him so much about Natsumi.

966 just hissed at him. "Don't even joke."

Giroro shrugged. _I wonder why he's so interested in her, though. Maybe when Natsumi inevitably gets here to rescue her, she'll figure it out. I sure can't._ He walked out, closing the door behind him.

Mois yawned and stretched, grasping the fancy, smooth blanket under her. "Huh?" She looked around in confusion at the unfamiliar room. A transparent curtain surrounded her bed like she was some sort of princess. The room was filled with gems and treasures of all kind, obvious décor that had just been put there recently.

"Am... am I a princess?" she spoke aloud.

"Only if you want to be." Kululu, dressed in his 966 persona with a voice changer, bowed, extending his gloved hand.

Mois pulled up her blanket and looked frightened for a moment. "Where am I?"

"Your palace. Or, well, it could be," said Kululu. He tried to be smooth and flirtatious. Around Mois, normally he was anything _but_. He'd like to say it was fake, for his school persona, but he was also kind of shy and embarrassed.

"You're 966!" Mois recalled. "And you kidnapped me. Why? How?"

" _How_ is a secret. Ku, ku, ku. But why is simple. I wanted to see you." Kululu sat backward in his chair to face her, leaning his chin on his folded arms.

"You wanted to see me? But why?" Mois knew she should struggle and try to escape, but she assumed her options of escape were limited. His inventions had more power than she did; this was one of his lairs of possible many. He had probably planned for if she tried to escape. So she could only talk herself out of this one.

"Let's say you've caught my interest." Kululu took her hand and pulled his mask up just slightly so his lips could be exposed and he could kiss her hand. "I took a look at the explosive that you were sleeping with. Did you make them?" he asked after giving her hand a gentle kiss.

 _Oh my god. Did 966 kidnap me to hit on me?_ Mois's eye twitched for a brief moment. This would be a harder situation to talk herself out of. He was laying it on pretty thick. She pulled her hand away. "I have a boyfriend. And I am very much in love with him," she shot down. "So you better quit it."

Kululu laughed for a moment. "Ku, ku, ku!" It was nice to be able to use his natural laugh around her. It had taken him so much work to train himself to use that fake laugh, a "normal" laugh. _Well, I'm glad of that. I can't believe she just said she was very much in love with me! Th-that's so cute. Wouldn't she be surprised where her boyfriend was now!_ "Just going to ignore my _explosive_ question?"

"I made it. So what?" she asked. "I will never make you more like them."

Kululu whistled. So she _had_ made it. That was impressive. Those explosives were on a level even beyond his engineering. They were her own specialty, but she was good at it. _My Mois is so cool!_ He just wanted to gaze at her with heart eyes the whole day.

"Maybe you _can_ make me them. What would you say if I told you I want you to work for me? I'd pay well, of course. And I'm not as evil as the Agency makes me out to be. Yeah, I plan to murder a bit, but it's necessary!" he defended. "My goal isn't evil, it's to recreate this world, to be sinless. The people in charge are corrupt. They hurt minorities and the poor just for their own gain. Do you think that's right? Because I don't. My goal is pure, to take away their power and rule the world myself. The people have proved they're too stupid to solve their own problems. But I will make sure nobody gets hurt and wronged the way I was. Justice won't be taken away. I'll recreate this world to be ideal," he described, "But... you probably doubt my vision, because I'm evil and twisted, corrupt like the ones I'm fighting against."

"Yeah. Your goal is contradictory." Mois called him out on it.

"True. Ku, ku, ku. But... what if somebody helped me rule the world? Someone more pure than I. You could do great things for this planet, More. Rule by my side. Don't you feel wronged by the people in power, too? At least a little bit?" He extended a hand again. He used her codename to make her feel more comfortable as he asked her that simple question, something he knew she would agree with. He had scanned her thoughts; he knew where her beliefs lay. And it was a vision close to where he was going.

Mois frowned. "I... I suppose in a way... Corporations, institutions, factories... they would all dump their waste in my birth town. It caused heavy pollution, making most of the later generations, especially mine, have heavy birth defects and illnesses. I myself was dying from a rare genetic condition," she confessed..

"They did what? Y-you were dying?" Kululu tried to keep the panic out of his voice. "You're okay _now_ , though, right?"

Mois looked at him oddly. "Yes. The Agency bought up everything at my town's hospital. After several experiments resulting in the loss of the life of all the rest of the children from my town, I survived, and my illness was cured." She smiled.

"You were... bought?" he asked quietly. Mois had never told him about her family history before, or any of this. He wondered what kind of malice or revenge she could be feeling for the people who had hurt her, who had abandoned her, compared to what he felt. His family might have died, but she had been abandoned by hers. He wanted to hug her, but he knew he couldn't hold her. She didn't even know who he really was. He wondered briefly about the pressure she must have felt to be all the Agency wanted her to be, and to live for the other children who had died so she could be healed.

"Yes. So I can understand a little bit of feeling malice toward those who have wronged you. If I could protect everyone in the world through killing everyone bad - well, that's not the situation we're in, so I won't answer that," she said with another sweet smile. If she could just have an open and honest conversation with 966, perhaps she could convince him out of his evil ways.

Maybe, there was hope... And then he spoke.

"Ku, ku, ku. But you _could_! Be my evil queen! Or, eh, good queen I suppose. And if you're worried about your boyfriend, I'll make sure he's fine too. Rule by my side. You would have great potential. Bring the light that you want to bring to the world." He stood up and offered a hand.

A buzzing sound went off. Natsumi and her crew must have found his lair.

Mois stood up. "No," she refused, realizing it was Natsumi. "I won't. There might have been bad in the world, but the Agency has helped me. I won't betray them.

"Ku, ku, ku. Fine." Kululu grabbed her arm. "Let's go visit your little friends, my princess.~" He gently pulled her toward the balcony, where she huddled under her blanket, refusing to escape its softness.

* * *

Natsumi had a gun in her hand. If it came down to it, she was ready to shoot to kill. Momoka was ready with her arm canon, and Koyuki with her knives.

A door opened and Giroro entered the room. 966 was on the second floor, leaning over a balcony as he grasped Mois's arm in his own.

"More! Are you okay?" Natsumi called.

Mois waved. "Guys! I'm so happy you came to rescue me!"

"What was he doing to you? Did he hurt you?" Koyuki asked desperately.

"We're recruiting your little friend," Giroro said quickly. "We just held a job interview. How'd it go?" He looked up at 966.

"I refused!" Mois cried out.

"Ku, ku, ku. Oh did you really? I suppose she did, but I know where your loyalties really lie." He let go of her and let her rush down the stairs. She only made it halfway before he continued talking, knowing he needed to give her her freedom but still having another case to make. The things he had seen in her mind had to be exposed in front of her friends, after all, so that she couldn't deny them. "While you slept, I scanned your brain, to see how you really feel about my plans. Where your morals are, basically. If there's potential for you to join me."

"And you saw nothing," said Mois, looking back at him.

"Untrue. Ku, ku, ku." Kululu grinned under his mask. "In fact, I saw that you would be the perfect comrade for me. Your real desires lie with something much more extreme than even I have planned. You, my dear, are just as evil as I."

She paled. "What are you talking about?" She took a few steps up the stairs, trying to level herself with him.

"Your true thoughts are that if no good can come of this planet, if evil lies here and there is no hope... everybody - and I mean everybody - should die. This whole place should come crashing down. You thirst for the destruction of evil, my princess! It's what you crave the most! Anyone who's sinful should die by your hands! Ku, ku, ku!"

Mois's eyes just widened.

She was more intense than he was - Kululu swooned a little bit. Thank god he wore a mask. And he completely 100% agreed with her. She would be the perfect ruler by his side. _I thought there wasn't a way to fall any more in love with her, but even_ I _was proven wrong!_

"We're exactly the same," he told her. "So come join me. You know it's what's really you."

Mois just looked pale. She didn't know anymore. She was so confused. She looked between Natsumi and 966. She did think that, but... her loyalties were to the agency. She had been conditioned by them to be loyal. But at the same time, was she just evil? Was what she was doing for the agency what she truly wanted? Was it right?

"More, that's not true... Don't be scared. You're nothing like him," Natsumi tried to convince her. She outstretched her arms, open and welcoming.

"He's tricking you," Momoka said simply. "You know why he wants you, right? It's because you're a super weapon made by the Agency. The only soldier they managed to make withstand intense atmosphere conditions, severe heat, long periods of time underwater! He wants to use that."

"Yeah! You're right! It makes sense now!" Mois realized.

 _Wait, what? How is that possible? How can she withstand all that?_ Kululu wondered. "An all-terrain soldier, huh? Interesting in theory, but not realistic..."

"It took many experiments. But I am the result." Mois said proudly of her origins.

Kululu frowned beneath his mask. Experiments? Who was experimenting on Mois? It must have hurt. Her pain tolerance, at least from Tamama's bullying had always been high. And now he knew why. _Well, now I'm DEFINITELY killing all of the Agency. How dare they experiment on Mois._

"Yeah, you just want her explosive potential," said Momoka.

"I will not join you," said Mois. "I trust the Agency and I will not betray them. I'm good, and there are good places on this planet. I will not waver." She headed down the stairs to Natsumi.

"Ku. I suppose your friends would be in the way of letting you realize the truth." Kululu pressed a button. Panels appeared on the floor where Natsumi, Momoka, and Koyuki were standing. A wire rope appeared and grabbed Mois. The panels trapped the other three girls on giant iron tables, clamping down on them.

"Unfair!" Natsumi screamed. She knew they were traps, but even she couldn't break through iron.

"Ku, ku, ku. Guess I'll just have to kill you three, then." Kululu pressed a button and laser appeared from a shaft in the ceiling. Natsumi, Momoka and Koyuki were all in a line, Natsumi the closest to the laser and Koyuki farthest from it.

"I'm guessing you want me to agree to join you or you'll kill them?" Mois asked.

"Nah, I've changed my mind again," Kululu shrugged. "I'm killing the agency, whether you join me or not. It's not like I like Natsumi very much anyway. Killing her has been on my list for awhile now."

Natsumi started sweating. Mois screamed. Koyuki cried out. And Giroro watched.

 _No... there's nothing she can do from that angle. It would take something else to dislodge the laser... She's as good as dead if someone doesn't come and save her,_ Giroro realized.

If he used the gun on his belt, he could shoot the laser off of its position. He could press the button on the wall that controlled the laser and would release the binds on all of them.

But that would be directly betraying 966 to save Natsumi's life. He didn't have time to think. He had to make a decision just from his gut.

And he knew what the right choice was. 966 was evil. Mind control, electrocuting him... trying to kill Natsumi and kidnapping agents? He had lost his vision. In the beginning he had been good, but no more.

And in that split second, Giroro realized where his loyalties lay. And despite his promises, it wasn't with 966. It was with Natsumi.

 _I can't let her die. I really do love her,_ he realized. He took out his gun and shot the button to free Natsumi and her friends. The laser fell down and shot down toward him.

Giroro screamed as his shoulder was burned when the light of the laser went down on him.

As Natsumi was released from her shackles Giroro toppled over. "Giroro!" she yelled.

Kululu frowned. "Ku, so he really did betray me."

Natsumi ran over to Giroro. She didn't know why he had sacrificed everything on a moment's notice.

She pulled him over her back. "To the jet. We have to get Mois back to the agency. We'll take him back to be patched up, too."

"Natsumi..." Giroro groaned. "Sorry for not choosing sooner."

Natsumi just smiled. "Spies always win. That's what the manual says."

Giroro grinned.

Momoka blasted a hole in the wall with her arm canon and the group escaped.

 _Ku. I'll get them later,_ Kululu told himself.

Fleeing in itself was a victory to them for now. They were all alive and that was good enough.

* * *

 **Sorry the Giroro scene at the end was short. Originally it took up 1/3 of the chapter summary of him switching loyalties, but then my sister wanted to watch something and I was sentences away from finishing the chapter, so it got short.**

 **Please review.**


	11. Are You Her?

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **Two more chapters until the arc finishes. (The 966 arc) And then there's a super short 4 chapter arc that will finish the story.**

* * *

Mois was still shaken from being kidnapped. And although Giroro was being dragged off to medical bay by the other girls, she stayed behind to talk to Keroro, who was afraid to see Giroro again.

"You can't tell us any reason he took you? What his plan was? What he wanted from you?" Keroro asked.

Mois shook her head. "He just wanted me to join him. He wanted to use me because I'm a super weapon." She neglected to mention the part about how 966 had hit on her, how he had been overly flirtatious. It was embarrassing and she honestly didn't think it was necessary information for anyone to know.

Keroro nodded. "I wonder if we can use you as bait. He lost interest in getting Fuyuki to his side, so he might with you as well... Ahh, this is confusing." He rubbed his head.

Mois sat down, letting him yell and think aloud. But she was lost in her own thoughts. _Am... Am I really as evil as 966 said? No. I'm good. But I'm not as good as I'd like to be._

She had believed him, for a second, that she was bad. She hadn't trusted herself to tell her friends her true motivation and values. A web of lies surrounding her entire life had caught up to her, and she didn't know who she was lying to anymore and who she was telling the truth to.

So many disguises. So many different faces she had worn in her life as a spy. Who was she? She knew her name was Mois. She worked for the agency. But the reason her loyalty was so strong was because that was the only truth she was aloud to have.

 _Truth is, I'm the most sinful creature there is. But I don't want to be._ She shouldn't have even believed she was lying to her friends. But she lied to other people she loved. She told people she didn't love Kululu, her boyfriend, saying she was just using him as a cover, that she loved Keroro instead. And they believed her.

Hell, _Kululu_ didn't even know who she really was. She was lying to him the most. He loved her, sure, but he just loved the disguise she had given him. And he was more important to her than that disguise.

 _So... that's the root of the problem. Why I believed 966 for a moment. I believed I could be lying to Natsumi, Momoka, Koyuki, and even Kululu about how I felt._ She couldn't do this anymore.

Keroro continued ranting about how annoyed he was. Koyuki walked in to check on how Mois was doing with her interrogation, watching Keroro and her from the sidelines.

"Keroro." Mois sat up straighter. "Can I ask you something?" _I can't do it anymore. And Keroro's nice. Maybe he'll allow me to tell Kululu the truth about us. After all, we could tell Tamama, Fuyuki... Citizens with other connections to people._

"Sure, Mois. Shoot," he said.

"I... I wanted to talk to you about a problem I've been having. With my disguise at school."

"Umm... I'm not your therapist." Keroro shifted awkwardly. "I'm your boss."

"I have a boyfriend, you see," she confessed.

"I heard. It's for your cover, right?" Keroro asked. "Umm... if you're asking for break-up advice, maybe it would be best to talk to Saburo? Or even Aki? Saburo's had fake relationships before for this job..."

"I'm not asking break up advice. You see, Keroro, I um... I really love him." She blushed. "I wanted to request that I tell him the truth about my identity. Please. I know I can trust him. He's the nicest, sweetest person I've ever met. And Natsumi got to tell her brother about the Agency. Hell, Tamama is able to know about it. And now you two are getting all cuddly!" she pointed out. "Let me tell just _one_ person. I need this one anchor to the real world. Please..." she begged desperately. "It's only right."

Keroro just gave her a very sad and pitying look. "I can't, Mois. I can't let you tell him. I'm sorry you really fell in love. Maybe it would be best to transfer you to a new school if things are getting too hard for you."

" _Please_ ," Mois begged. "He wouldn't tell anyone. And what would you do if I told him, anyway?"

He sighed and gave her an even more pathetic expression. He stood up. "Legally - and this isn't my choice, mind you - we'd have to silence him if you let it slip." He paused. "And by _silence_ , I mean..." He slid his finger across his throat.

Mois covered her mouth in utter horror. She shook her head over and over again.

"Sorry. I really am," he said. "If it was up to me, things wouldn't be so tough... I'll leave you alone. I should visit Giroro now that he's back, anyway." He pat her shoulder awkwardly and left.

As soon as he left, Mois started crying in strangled gasps of sobs. She couldn't breathe.

In mere seconds, Koyuki was there to hold her, to pat her back comfortingly, having heard everything. "I'm so sorry," she apologized.

"H-he'll die... Keroro said he'd die! Why... Why can't I have happiness? Why won't the Agency let me tell him?"

"They don't let people like us have freedom," Koyuki told her. "I know how you feel. Relationships for us, their tools, are pretty much forbidden. They don't want us to feel anything. You can't blame a single individual, though. It's the institution."

"They saved me, but I'm trapped..." Mois realized.

"Just because they gave us life and took care of us doesn't mean we don't deserve the same freedom as anyone else," said Koyuki. She held the crying girl gently. "I love you. I love Momoka, I love Natsumi. But I know exactly what you're going through. I feel just as trapped as you. Hell, they haven't let me out of here except for one time! I try not to let Natsumi see that it gets me down, but it does. But you - You're in the same situation as me. So I want you to know that I understand."

"How do you deal with it? Knowing you'll be here the rest of your life without making any real connections with the outside?" Mois asked.

Koyuki pat her on the back. "It helps having friends, but it's hard. For a while, I just gave up and let myself be the tool that they wanted me to be, however sickened I was by all their blatant violations of human rights."

"What made that stop?" Mois asked.

"I gained hope. And hope is enough to get you through anything." Koyuki bopped her on the nose. "So you hope, too. Someday things will get better. I promise. Remember, we're tools. So if something happens and this Agency doesn't need us anymore, or it falls... we'll just change hands. That's all we are. And eventually the changing of hands will force us to rise above. We'll get choices eventually and be able to choose what we want." Koyuki smiled at her. "Let me hope for you. I promise that if I gain freedom, I'll let you have it, too."

Mois nodded and let her friend cradle her. They'd known each other longer than the other two girls. Only they understood their violation of freedom.

And it was good to have someone who understood.

* * *

Giroro woke up in medical bay. Natsumi was looking over him, waiting for him to wake up. The moment he saw the familiar white walls and the pink pigtails, he groggily spoke.

"...Pururu?" he asked, still halfway drugged.

Natsumi frowned. He had sacrificed his job to save her, yet the first thing he said was somebody else's name? She didn't know why, but that gave her a fair amount of conflicted emotions. A pang of sadness for him that the person he mentioned was dead, and annoyance that he hadn't asked for her.

"No. It's me, Natsumi," she corrected.

Giroro smiled and reached up to stroke her cheek. "So I succeeded. I made the right choice. You're alive."

"I'm not Pururu."

"I know. But I couldn't lose you, Natsumi. I... I don't want you harmed. I don't want you dead. I would forever regret it. You're my arch-nemesis. I told you before, didn't I? The bond that's strongest is enemies not wanting the other one hurt," he told her.

Natsumi leaned into his hand. "That's funny, considering we're not enemies anymore. You betrayed 966, remember? I doubt he'll take you back. He seems like a pretty violent guy. And I'm guessing you don't agree with his views anymore."

"I thought things weren't good-vs-evil. That there were shades of gray. But with 966, things truly are black and white. It... It took me a while to realize that he became corrupt and I couldn't stop him," he apologized.

Natsumi put her finger on Giroro's lips. "Shhh... You're very badly injured. It's going to take a while to fix you up. Don't focus too much on the bad. Just sleep for a bit, 'kay?"

Giroro closed his eyes.

"And thanks for saving me. I know you're saying it's because we're enemies, but I know the truth. The truth is we're friends, right? I mean, you look like you need friends, Mr. My-real-life-is-living-with-only-cats," she teased.

Giroro let out a low laugh before falling asleep again.

* * *

Keroro sat next to Giroro's bed as he recuperated. "So why did he betray 966? Why did he help us?"

"I've been thinking about that." Fuyuki was looking after him, too. "And although I don't really help you guys, I wanted to decipher his actions. Every time he wakes up, it's pretty easy to read. There's no risk of him betraying you guys again."

"Why?" Keroro asked.

"Because he's in love with my sister," Fuyuki shrugged. He was good at seeing other people's relationships, just not his own.

Keroro opened his mouth for a moment in shock. "Nah-uh, Giroro? No way. I grew up with him. He and Natsumi? They're such idiots that..." He thought for a moment. "Oh my god, he totally _has_ fallen for her. She's definitely his type."

* * *

When Giroro was finally awake long enough to keep liquids down, Saburo visited him. Others like Natsumi and Keroro were sitting by his side, even Momoka sometimes.

"Do you know who I am?" Saburo asked.

"The pretty boy whose butt I kicked that one time," Giroro recalled.

"Name's Saburo, codename 326." He extended his hand. Giroro shook it. "I came to inquire about 966, since you used to work for him."

"What about him?"

"You have valuable information on him, and we need that. He's the worst threat this Agency has ever faced - and possibly the world, too. He's incredibly strong," said Saburo. "How long did you work for him?"

"Five years," he said. "I was his right-hand man."

"So you probably have loads of information on his plans, his identity, his location. We need that. We'll pay you handsomely, of course. You don't have to work for us if you don't want to. You can go about your merry way."

"I'm not giving information for money. That's the coward's way out. I make money through actual work. Not words. I'm not a sissy," he said.

"Giroro! Tell us about 966!" Natsumi scolded.

He sighed. "You'll be awfully disappointed. I worked with him for five years, but he never gave me extended details on his plans, passcodes... anything like that. He destroyed and created his lairs constantly. I don't even know his real name."

Everybody frowned. So he knew basically nothing.

"But... you worked with him for so long," Momoka pouted. "You must have developed some sort of relationship!"

"Yeah, a personal one," he shrugged. "I liked to consider us friends, but that doesn't really help finding him."

"So... we actually know more about his real life then you do, is what you're saying," Keroro grinned.

Giroro's eyes widened. "You have to tell me. Is he really my father?"

"Wh-what? What, no! Your father is drunk in the Bahamas! Why would he be your father? You know your dad!" said Keroro.

Giroro looked down, sadly. "He likes to tease me a lot."

"He's a high school student at Natsumi's school," Keroro explained.

"A high school student? No... you must mean teacher. He can't be that young. That would mean I've been working for a teenager... Wait, no, he totally gives off the teenage vibe. He's been pranking me constantly and every week has a lecture about his dramatic backstory. He totally is a teen." Giroro sighed. "Can't believe I didn't figure that out myself."

"It explains how he knew Natsumi's name, too," said Keroro.

Natsumi crossed her arms, glaring at Giroro. " _Does_ it, Giroro?"

"Yeah. It does. He said he looked you up, along with your brother and Koyuki. But I never told him any of that. I didn't even know the name of your brother or that Koyuki was Snow's name," he said.

Natsumi was relieved.

Saburo was just confused. "So you don't have any information for us about 966?"

Giroro shook his head.

"Well, then. Time to get to another piece of business." Keroro smiled, "Giroro, you've betrayed 966 to save Natsumi's life. You probably don't have anything else to do, so want to come back to the Agency to work?"

"I hate this place," Giroro hissed. "Saving her life doesn't change that."

"You hate this place because it let Pururu die," said Keroro. "Because your brother, angry about the death of Pururu, started an internal revolution and was electrocuted until he was killed by his chip."

Giroro rubbed the back of his neck. Had they taken out the chip 966 installed in him?

"We took it out," Momoka reassured.

Giroro smiled. "Yeah, that seems pretty accurate. I hate this place a lot."

"Then do you really think its safe to not help us? Aren't you worried about what's going to happen to Natsumi, who you seem to have affection for?" Keroro grinned sinisterly.

Giroro gritted his teeth. "Just as manipulative as you previously were, huh, Keroro?"

"I'm a leader. Sometimes leaders have to do drastic things to get results," he said. "You wouldn't be a full agent, of course. I've arranged it so if you rejoin, you don't have to follow the Heads' orders, you'd be following mine. The era of our team is done. You'd solely be More Peach Summer Snow's bodyguard to assure us that the same thing doesn't happen to their team that happened to ours. You'd protect Natsumi like you want to."

"And you're good at bodyguard work, right?" Momoka pointed out.

Giroro thought for a moment. It did seem like a good deal. He'd probably end up doing it anyway and he did like getting paid for work. "Fine," he agreed gruffly. "But I still don't like this place. It has so many flaws!"

Keroro snickered and got a briefcase out. He pulled out a little badge and name tag with Giroro's name on it, along with his codename "Skull." It had a small skull emblem.

"You've kept it all this time?" Giroro tried to sound tough, but he was a little touched.

"I was waiting for you to come home," Keroro told him. "I've missed you and Zeroro, for... a long time now."

"Stop getting sappy on me," Giroro told him. "If you're going to cry - "

Keroro started crying and threw himself on Giroro in a hug.

"I was going to say, do it somewhere else. You're always like this," Giroro smiled, blushing a bit.

Natsumi hadn't seen this side of either of them. But it was nice to see friends reunite. She smiled.

After about 10 minutes of Keroro blubbering on Giroro, Giroro pushed him off. "I'll protect More Peach Summer Snow. But you guys are really going to need to do something about your security."

"Oh, you mean about how 966 easily broke in?" asked Momoka.

Giroro nodded. "Even if you change the passcodes to this place, it wouldn't do much good."

"Why not?" Keroro asked.

"You have a mole - a traitor," Giroro said simply. Everyone looked shocked. "Oops. Did I forget to mention that? My bad."

"That... That could have been very important information to tell us when you said you knew nothing about 966's plans!" Saburo scolded.

"A mole? Wh-what do you mean, Giroro?" Natsumi asked.

"An informant about the secrets of the Agency - your passcodes, plans. Someone's been betraying you and meeting with 966 in secret," Giroro answered.

Natsumi's eyes widened. That sort of mole? No way could their agency have one. Everybody loved the agency. They were the good guys. Who was so evil that they would betray them?

"Well? Who is it?" Momoka asked, the only one not gawking.

"I don't know. 966 wouldn't tell me. And I never met with them,"he confessed. "I don't take well to moles. It's not honorable."

Natsumi nodded. She had to agree.

* * *

Nobody knew who the mole was. They were all looking into it in their own way, but Keroro made it a point that they shouldn't talk to each other about it besides making everybody know that there was a mole.

"If we start pointing fingers, we'll just start some sort of civil war amongst each other and start fighting. So right now it's not best to suspect anyone. Especially your friends," he advised.

Natsumi wanted to agree with him, but she started looking into it alone. It wasn't like she had much time.

She usually did it at home, away from prying eyes with Fuyuki. Fuyuki didn't have the clearance level to get information on the Agency, so he was definitely exempt from being a suspect. Even if he was a lot more observant than her.

"So it's definitely not you, right?" asked Fuyuki. "And Keroro's, like the second most loyal to the Agency, after you. He pretty much controls your office. So it can't be him, either."

Natsumi nodded. She hated to say it, but the only one really exempt from her scrutiny was Keroro, who she didn't really like. And Giroro, who had previously been her enemy. And Tamama, who had been attacked by 966.

"I'll make a list of everyone's possible motives in the office while you're away at work," Fuyuki offered.

"Thanks." She saw the little light blinking under her desk. Another 966 attack.

* * *

"Sorry Giroro, you're still injured and we don't really trust you enough to attack 966, him being an old friend of yours," said Keroro. "So it's a More Peach Summer Snow's mission only. He's probably a hologram again - let's be real - so the mission's only to save the citizens he's terrorizing."

Natsumi nodded. Pretty simple orders - don't antagonize 966, save people. That was right up her ally.

She could do this.

* * *

966 was definitely a hologram. And he was testing his mind control invention.

"Hmm... Ku, ku, ku. Not a far reach; loses power... so I can't have my mind-controlled zombies just yet," he spoke to himself.

Natsumi's team parachuted down to face him.

"Ah, back to die again?" 966 laughed.

"We're here to stop you!" said Natsumi. "Remember, guys - take out the antennae to free the citizens!"

966 just shrugged as his mind controlled citizens faced Natsumi. "Kill the leader. The pink-haired one."

Natsumi knocked some citizens away from her as Momoka, Koyuki, and Mois fought around her.

"Hey, More. What color do you think the fireworks should be when I invade the planet?" 966 asked casually.

"Umm... I'm not sure why you're asking me," she told him.

"Well, because you'll be there with me, obviously! Ku, ku, ku. Good help is hard to find, after Giroro's betrayal, but I know you have the right qualities," he teased.

Mois shook her head. "I told you, I'm not joining you!"

"Maybe you're already with me. In your heart. Ku ku ku," 966 teased again. Mois stuck out her tongue at him.

 _Wait... On his side..._ thought Natsumi. _He HAS shown an interest in bringing Mois to his side... It can't just be a ploy because she's already there, can it? Could... Could Mois be the mole?_ Her eyes widened. It all made sense now.

Mois was the mole. She had to be.

* * *

It was Momoka who destroyed the antennae successfully, saving the day. Everybody's heads weren't fully in the game.

Natsumi was brought back home, still kind of shaken up by the realization. She plopped down on her bed near Fuyuki, who was working at his desk.

"I know the mole," she told him.

"Really? Because I wrote out the most suspicious people," he said. "And only two have the highest." He handed her the sheet.

"Yeah... I agree about Mois," Natsumi nodded.

"She's so nice. But she specializes in deception and disguises," he explained. "Also, 966 has become quite... interested in her, oddly enough."

"Why's Momoka at 0% suspicion?" Natsumi asked.

"She's too kind," he said, "but she also has nothing to gain. She already has so much power. Besides, she's my friend... I trust her. It can't be her. She could have backed him publicly, if it was. She'd just change the laws so it wouldn't be illegal for her to help him. And from what I've heard of 966's goals, he hates the kind of person Momoka is."

Natsumi giggled a bit. Fuyuki was just biased. Koyuki was also pretty low, probably because she was her best friend and she knew her better than that.

Surprisingly, the highest wasn't really Mois. It was Saburo. "Wh-what? Why Saburo?"

"Sis... if anyone's the mole, it's Saburo." Fuyuki leaned in and dropped to a whisper. "Listen, he's been the one working on the 966 case the longest. He has the most interest invested in him. And he's a good agent. Isn't it weird he hasn't found anything yet? He _went to another country_ to find his lair and it was just a booby-trap. Saburo's loyalties benefit himself most of all. He knows the most about 966. He's smart, clever, and could be conniving. He's used you to lure out 966, after all, asking you on a date solely so he could be there when 966 came out. And when 966 attacked, he did nothing."

Natsumi's eyes widened. He was right. He was completely right. But it really couldn't be Saburo, could it?

* * *

Saburo or Mois? Which would be worse?

966 was evil. But Mois was one of her best friends. What would she do if Mois was working with 966?

 _She would put us in direct danger. I can't trust her,_ Natsumi decided.

"Natsumi! Want to eat lunch together?" Mois asked at school. She had made Natsumi a cute little lunch, as always.

"Ummm... I have something to do... over there," Natsumi lied, pointing to a patch of grass. "So I can't eat with you! Sorry."

 _If she's really the mole... I need to start distancing myself before I get hurt. If it comes down to a fight with Mois I wouldn't be able to do anything against her. But she... She'd be able to if she truly didn't care about me. She could hurt Momoka, or Koyuki. I need to see her true motives. What's under all her disguises._

Mois gave her the saddest expression. "O-okay... I guess I'll go eat lunch with Kululu. Ummm... Natsumi, can I talk to you maybe later about Kululu? You said you'd always be there for me if I needed to talk about my boy troubles."

 _She wants to break up with him, probably, so the Agency won't use him as bait when she betrays them._ "He's a jerk. Dump him. My easy advice." Still, Kululu wasn't the nicest of guys, so she didn't feel much pity for him. She stood up coldly. "Actually, there's something _I_ wanted to talk to you about."

"What?" asked Mois.

"Giroro says we have a mole in the agency selling information to 966."

"Makes sense how he was able to kidnap me so easily," Mois shrugged. _And how he keeps texting me to join him. This is so weird. I think I'm being stalked by a super-villain!_ She neglected to tell anyone about him texting her. She kept trying to track down the signal, but he was using the cell phones of all the citizens he had brainwashed. Apparently he had stolen all their phones, and then he would destroy them when she started hacking.

Natsumi frowned. Mois wasn't surprised in the least bit. "Any idea who it is?"

"I think I agree with Keroro. We shouldn't just go around wildly guessing and suspecting each other. Friendship is the most important thing. And I don't want to doubt any of my friends. I remember when my loyalties wavered - when I thought I was evil, you were there for me. So I want to be there for you," Mois smiled.

"So you don't think it could be any of us? Come on, just between us who do you think it is?" Natsumi asked.

Mois paused. "Saburo. He's been working on the 966 case for years. It would be believable he found him and started working with him." She broke her oath to not suspect anyone. It wasn't like she liked Saburo much anyway, especially with how little he cared about Natsumi.

 _I wonder... could there be TWO moles? In spy movies, there's only ever one, but maybe he's trying to be smart by being not cliché..._ Natsumi realized.

She nodded, taking Mois's opinion.

* * *

No matter how much Natsumi looked at Saburo, those fluffy blushy feelings wouldn't appear again. To her, he was no longer the coolest spy in the world. Her admiration for him was slowly waning. And her suspicion was rising. She wasn't so biased that her crush wasn't able to be scrutinized.

 _If he's the mole, it doesn't matter how pretty he is. I will fight him. Nobody betrays the agency like that,_ she thought.

"Hey, Natsumi," Saburo smiled. Natsumi didn't seem as friendly as normal toward him. "Ah, you're kind of acting distant to me, too."

She frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"966 might have told Giroro we had a mole to spread discourse, you know. He might have predicted Giroro would betray him eventually for us. I'm still looking into the identity of the mole, but for some reason, everybody except Keroro suspects me. Keroro doesn't suspect anyone." Saburo sighed. "They've all shut me out from mission meetings, secrets... all sorts of things."

Natsumi rolled her eyes. She didn't feel pity for him. If he was the mole, this was the right choice.

"Natsumi. You have to believe me. I'm not the mole," he insisted. "If I was giving information to 966, he wouldn't have kidnapped Mois - "

"- because you care about her?" Natsumi asked, trying not to let the sound of her heart breaking show.

"No. Because I have information _he_ doesn't have on why kidnapping her is a _bad_ idea," he said simply. "It was a stupid choice, especially since she has a tracking device inside her."

Natsumi frowned. That was such a cold way of seeing things. If he was the mole, 966 would have acted smarter.

Of course, Saburo would probably betray the agency, she realized.

He probably WAS the mole. And she had no emotions for him if he was.

 _I'm done with him. He might be competent, but anyone whose morals aren't for saving people isn't worth my time,_ Natsumi thought.

No matter how much Saburo tried to defend himself, she and everyone else knew that he was the mole.

They had him figured out.

* * *

 **Natsumi's relationships are damaged with both Saburo and Mois.**

 **Who do you think is the mole?**

 **Please review.**


	12. You're the Mole

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

 **Dororo is in this chapter. Lots of things go on. Also mentions of sexual situations, so be prepared for that.**

* * *

 **So yo! I'd like to explain why this chapter took so long to post, for the guest viewers who do not know.**

 **My sister was busy and couldn't edit. Eventually after 84 days, I decided to just post it unedited. Sorry! (I know a lot of you would probably like it fast rather than with the correct commas, but...I always feel super insecure about my grammatical capabilities and typos because of various people bugging me about it. Like there was this one guest reviewer years ago that was bugging me because since I didn't edit one of my chapters I had confused they're and their (A normal mistake to make) and told me to never fool myself into thinking I was a good writer. I've been trying to get better about grammar but I still feel more comfortable if I know someone has looked it over.)**

 **So basically, I would like your opinions please! Should I write quickly and post a lot frequently of stuff that is only edited by me and not exactly looked over? Or should I wait for my sister to beta it even though she's extremely busy? Or...A third option...Would one of you like to help out and beta?**

 **Please tell me.**

 **Also to the guest reviewer worried about my health, at the time you reviewed I was fine, my sister was just busy, but during February I did catch the flu and because of the medication I'm on that suppresses my immune system, causing the white blood cells to die, I almost died. I was in the hospital for a very long time and almost suffered permanent brain damage from a fever. After that I was in a bit of shock which I'm honestly still recovering from. I'm trying to get back to fanfiction but it is hard.**

* * *

"Jirara, sir. Are we really making our move?" A league of ninja, all standing in a nice line looked up at their commanding officer.

The underground, an organization that had lasted centuries in the darkest parts of society, doing assassinations and spying for all those who could pay. Taking out that which was evil in cold blood thirsty acts. They weren't heroes. They did what was necessary, ignoring the laws and following their own code.

"Yes, we've organized this enough. Letting 966 go to his own devices wouldn't suit us." Jirara agreed. "Dororo, be proud. This was your plan, to let both of our enemies take each other out. The only problem is 966 is getting too large and dangerous, he might well take over the world. And we can't have that now, can we?"

Dororo, the ninja in the front nodded. "The agency and 966 were going to take each other out. But 966 might be stronger than them and might still survive the battle."

"Yes. So we must test them. Reveal ourselves. We'll see how strong they really are and if they're on the same level. Thanks to our informant we know where 966's lair is, correct?" Jirara asked.

Dororo gave a small nod.

"Then I want to teams to attack them both at the same time. Dororo, you know the agency best, would it be too much trouble if you lead the team attacking them?"

"I would love to." Dororo nodded, bowing. "I will not disappoint you."

"Zoruru, you lead the team against 966. We'll gauge both of their abilities through this attack. Remember, do not kill- Only test. This is only a test." Jirara was wise giving them advice.

Zoruru nodded as well, and he and Dororo were off, a band of ninja following behind them.

* * *

There was a knock on the current front door of one of 966's lairs.

"Odd. I didn't even know I had a front door. Ku, ku, ku." He went out to check who it was. The agency wasn't scheduled to attack him for another two days.

He looked at one of his security cameras. There were a ton of ninjas.

 _I have no idea where these ninjas came from and I honestly don't care._ He yawned, and pressed the button for just his average security to deal with it.

The ninjas weren't worth his time. After all, he was putting on the final touches to his master plan. He was so close to his end goal. He had finally figured it out, how to rule.

The planet would be his in three days. That was the truth.

Zoruru screamed from outside. The underground had vastly underestimated 966. A 'test' was something they couldn't even administer. He was just above them.

Most of Zoruru's cybernetic body exploded in the shuffle with just 966's security measures. The other ninja scrambled trying to find a way inside. But there was no way.

They eventually just left.

Dororo's team had better luck.

* * *

It was 8 o'clock in the morning when the alarm rung in the office and doors were kicked open, the ninja making a strike on the agency's home base.

Keroro put up his hands in a surrender. "Ninja!" He screamed.

Natsumi did a somersault having come to the office early, she grabbed a gun concealed under one of the tables. "Don't move. I will shoot one of you. Girls, we've got a job. Destroy them."

"Are they working for 966?" Momoka asked. She fought back to back with Tamama, trying to fight off the skilled ninja.

"No. In our best interests. Not his." Dororo spoke up.

"So a third party. Simple." Giroro grit his teeth. He wasn't supposed to be battling, he was still healing from his injury but he could operate a gun with one hand. One of the ninjas seemed almost recognizable, but he couldn't quite put his finger on where he had seen those pale blue eyes. The voice didn't bring back any memories either.

"Go away! You aren't getting Momoka this time." Mois put her arms in front of Momoka and pulled out a small bomb in her pocket.

"EEK! Mois! No! Don't blow us up! We would all die!" Keroro reminded her.

"Ohh...Tee-hee. My bad." She shuffled her feet.

Dororo drew his katana. "Enough talking. Let's see if you can survive an attack from the underground."

The ninja, despite how they didn't use guns, were fast, agile, shots missed them and they moved more to close combat.

Natsumi, Momoka, Mois, and Koyuki held there ground. Saburo tried to startle them by starting the sprinkler system with the fire alarm. It just made their outfits very very wet.

Sometimes Natsumi felt she was evenly matched against a ninja. Then they would improve their skills drastically and she'd have to go a level up. Giroro would toss her some ammo and eventually she'd get the confidence to go toe-to-toe again.

It was hard, but more like grueling. Like she was sparring.

She glanced at Momoka, Mois and Koyuki, to see how they were doing. As the team leader she needed to make sure they were safe.

Momoka was being aided by Tamama. Both of them punching wildly like power houses. But just like Natsumi they would struggle ever so often like this was just a sparring session.

Mois was really trying, but she was falling short, she mostly just dodged and wasn't doing any real damage.

Koyuki on the other hand seemed to be moving like water, fluid, easy, no damage was being done on either side, to her or her foe. It was like a dance. She could obviously keep up, but so could the ninja with the katana as they traded dodging and throwing blows.

Eventually, the head ninja in front of Koyuki jumped back. He gave a curt nod and the band of ninja pulled back.

"You survived. So the agency does have a little bit of backbone in them." Dororo told them, "Still you'll need to be much stronger if you wish to protect this planet."

Keroro frowned, "Zeroro...Is that you?" He asked.

Dororo looked away. "It's Dororo now. I no longer go by that name." And he rushed off, disappearing into smoke with his ninja.

"So...That was what Zeroro was up to." Giroro frowned. "He really wrecked us. If only I was in top condition. I'm sure I could be an even match for him."

Keroro just looked concerned. What purpose did it serve for Dororo to attack out of nowhere? What was the underground planning?

"We have enough with the 966 issue! We don't need a third party to fight!" Keroro groaned in annoyance. This was tough.

* * *

"How'd they do?" Jirara asked Zoruru and Dororo.

"Well, they're not on our level, but they did well. They have potential." Dororo told him, "I believe they're strong enough to take 966 out."

"I don't." Zoruru frowned, glancing at his rival. "They're going to get killed and we're going to get killed. 966 didn't even meet with my team. His security was better than us." His body was still being repaired by one of the younger recruits, a young kid named Tororo. It was annoying to give his presentation while half his body had been obliterated. "He destroyed us. And he'll destroy them."

Dororo frowned. That wasn't part of the plan. They had to be on equal levels! But 966 had gotten much stronger than the agency.

They needed to destroy each other.

* * *

The office had been devastated by the attack.

"I want you guys to head to medical bay to see if you're all okay. Umm...Mois can help clean the office." Keroro shrugged.

They all nodded. Mois helped straighten things up.

Keroro sat down and sighed. Why did his job keep getting harder and harder? First 966, then a mole, and now Dororo was attacking him as well?

Was there a solution? Or did everything end in their loss?

 _How did they get in? I hope the mole isn't giving information to the underground too..._ Keroro frowned. He really had to start working on who that was. He had told everybody not to be suspicious, but maybe they needed to be.

"I don't want to do this..." It was a violation of human rights, something he was very against. "But I might have to." He sat down at his desk and pressed a button. He saw all the active agents with chips in them.

"Codeword, fly on wall incident." Keroro spoke into a small microphone. Something rewinded on the comptuer activating all the chips as active listening devices. There were days, years of footage of just dialogue for each agent. Violations of human rights everywhere where Keroro could listen in on their private conversations.

Nobody knew he could do this. But he had to to find the mole.

"I guess Mois and Saburo have been most suspicious...Let's start listening to some things." Keroro sighed putting in ear buds. He was in for a long and physically revolting and traitorous session of listening in.

He hoped this got him results.

* * *

Most agents lives had been boring. Some embarrassing as they talked to significant others or flings, but Keroro eventually found the mole.

"Oh no..." He frowned. He pressed a button immediately calling a meeting. He didn't have any time to waste.

"Stupid frog, What do you need?" Natsumi sighed. "We have a lot of work to do."

"The mole has been found." Keroro told her.

Natsumi's eyes widened. "Oh...? How?"

"Listening into her conversations." Keroro told her.

Natsumi eyed Mois. So Saburo was out of suspicion. "Are you certain?"

"Positive." Keroro told them. He looked around the room. Most of them looked expectant, calm. Even the mole was calm.

"Well no need for a drum roll. Tell us who it is!" Saburo demanded.

Keroro stared straight at her. "Koyuki Azumaya. Grab her."

"WHAT! This has to be a mistake!" Natsumi screamed, getting in front of Keroro. Tamama and Saburo grabbed Koyuki from either side as she tried to struggle. "Koyuki is my best friend! She's been in this agency all her life. She wouldn't be working with 966."

"It makes sense..." Giroro realized, "966 kept on saying that the informant wouldn't give any information into More Peach Summer Snow. And I saw the way you were fighting the ninja, the fights and battles we had...You were holding back. I easily beat you, but it was because you wanted me to win."

Everybody looked at Koyuki eye's widened. She didn't snarl. Instead she remained calm.

"Are...Are you going to defend yourself, Koyuki? Deny it?" Momoka asked.

"Evidence. Where's the evidence." Koyuki spoke quickly.

"I listened into all your conversations thanks to the chips in the back of your neck. I'm sorry- It's a violation of human rights, I have the codes to do it but I barely ever do." Keroro frowned, "Only in emergencies like this one."

"You saw all our conversations?" Mois was sickened. Keroro nodded ashamed.

"I heard you giving passcodes to the door to 966, Koyuki. I heard you meeting with him." Keroro told her, "The mole- It was always you."

Natsumi tried not to cry. She waited for Koyuki to deny it, convince her of her loyalties. She looked into Koyuki's deep green eyes. "Koyuki, it can't be true...Can it? You had a reason for it...Right?" She could ignore Mois, but that was try to appear tough, but Koyuki was her best friend. She had always been there for her.

Koyuki just looked up at her. "I'm a spy." She said simply, "I'm not going to deny the truth. I was 966's informant. But I did it to get information on him. I don't believe in anything he stands for. I want him beaten too."

Natsumi sighed. She was so happy to hear that. Koyuki was just smarter than her. Being a true spy to the core.

Saburo looked at the computers, looked up some files. "If that's true, Miss Azumaya, why is it that you've never given us information on him?"

Koyuki didn't speak. She just stood strong, not slumping in defeat from being found out. Tamama put shackles around her hands. Despite being a prisoner she stood as if she was an outsider fighting a just cause, that she would never give in. Natsumi saw a spark of confidence, courage, hope that could never be broken.

It just wasn't on her side.

"Put...Put her in one of our containment units...At least until we can reform her or sort this out. She needs to be interrogated." Keroro sighed. He was sweating and crying. Koyuki had been there a long time and it was weird to lose her, it hurt to have her betray them.

"NO!" Natsumi screamed as Tamama dragged her away. "Let...Let me talk to her. She's my best friend." Natsumi begged.

"Natsumi, when one of your friends turns traitor they might not change their mind." Giroro put a hand on her shoulder, "Some friends split up. Some groups do. Be happy she split because of moral differences instead of death."

Natsumi ran out of the room crying. No. This wasn't Koyuki. She would see her.

* * *

Koyuki sat in her room, her shackles around her waist. There was a small window in the door for people to look in at her.

"Koyuki, why? Didn't you care about us?" Natsumi asked, holding onto a bar. "Aren't I your friend?"

Koyuki looked calm, tranquil. But she finally spoke. "Of course you are, Natsumi. I love you and care about you a lot."

"Then why did you never tell me the truth? Why did you betray what we stand for?" Natsumi asked. "This whole time you've been lying to me!"

"I never told you because I knew you wouldn't understand." Koyuki said simply. "I care for you, but we're so different. You see the good in this agency, but that's because you're free. You're good, and you're new so you see this place in an idolization way, like it's a movie." Koyuki told her. "But I...I've never been given freedom. I'm a prisoner. There was no reason for me to feel loyalty towards my captors."

"But I wasn't your captor! And you betrayed me! Our team- More Peach Summer Snow wasn't about this agency. It was about doing good for people. And you betrayed us." Natsumi told her.

"I'm sorry." Koyuki apologized. "It wasn't about you or our team. It was just something I had to do."

Natsumi turned away from her. She didn't know what to feel anymore. She left crying, rushing off.

* * *

Koyuki felt bad for Natsumi as she rushed off. But she stood by her choices.

Natsumi wouldn't have understood. And that was tough. She hoped someday Natsumi would see things her way. Momoka had looked horrified too, Mois not as much, more empathetic, understanding. If things had been different and Mois had been raised there since birth and she had been the experiment maybe their situations would have been flipped. Koyuki suspected that it would have been like that because she would have felt like she owed the agency something.

With her expert flexibility, Koyuki let her leg reach up to the shackles with a key between her toes. She had stolen it off Tamama when he had locked her away. Turning the key she released herself.

"Forgot to take my weapons." Koyuki smiled bending down to her thigh and untying a knife. She needed to do one thing before finally escaping this place.

She tied up her hair in a high bun instead of a ribbon. She needed access to her neck. Taking a strip of cloth she bit down on it so she wouldn't scream.

 _It's time to operate. To finally remove that blasted chip._ With her knife she dug into her skin, careful to make non-fatal cuts. She had cut a thousand men's necks with the same knife. This time she would save herself.

She wanted to scream in pain. But eventually she dug her fingers in and fished out the chip. She took the wet cloth out of her mouth and tied it around her neck hoping the blood would clot.

She placed the chip on the ground. "Electrocute it all you want now. You can not control me." She climbed on the wall and looked for the weak part of the ceiling. At least the agency had trained her well.

"Good-bye. And good riddance." She smiled digging into the ceiling and pulling herself up.

And she escaped.

* * *

"Koyuki's gone. I just left to interrogate her and she escaped. Her tracking chip is on the ground, she must have removed it herself." Saburo told Keroro.

Keroro winced. Sounded like it hurt.

"Koyuki's gone? You mean we'll never see her again?" Natsumi asked horrified. So Koyuki hadn't even wanted to live up to her crimes.

"No. We probably will." Keroro admitted, "I was thinking about what she said about 966. How she was getting information on him too. But we obviously weren't getting it. Then I realized she must have been a double mole, a mole to us, and a mole to 966. She really was the perfect spy."

"So then...Who was Koyuki truly working for?" Saburo asked.

"The underground. They must have gotten their passcodes from somewhere. That and reviewing the security footage of her fight with Dororo it was obvious that she knew their fighting style and was able to imitate it." Keroro frowned. "So...If the underground attacks we'll see her again. She's left one life as a spy for another. Traded it in."

Natsumi just frowned. So Koyuki wasn't even working for 966. It was those ninja guys.

She rushed off again. Her friend was gone. Instead she was her enemy. And she didn't know if she even wanted to see her again.

* * *

"Natsumi, are you okay?" Momoka knocked on Koyuki's door of her dorm room. Natsumi had locked herself in it.

"Let us in." Mois begged.

"No!" Natsumi screamed, "I need to be alone. She was my friend-"

"She was our friend too." Momoka reminded, "She betrayed all of us. Nobody suspected it was her."

The door unlocked. Momoka and Mois crowded in and held Natsumi.

Natsumi sniffed and cried. "I loved her. She was my best friend. Why did she betray us? What we stood for?"

"I don't know." Momoka frowned, "I'm...I'm disappointed in her too." She was trying to hold herself together to not cry. Eventually she just threw herself on Koyuki's old bed. "Do you think she hated me? Taking down this organization would have been hurting the Nishizawa empire? Did she hate me all along? Was I her enemy?"

Mois pat both their heads. "Questions like that won't help anyone." She soothingly told them.

"I hate her! I'm so sorry, Mois. I thought it was you. I hated you for her, because I didn't even want to consider it might be her. I wanted it to be you or Saburo. It just made more sense than her." Natsumi cried.

"It's all right. I forgive you." Mois told her, a little taken aback that Natsumi had hated her for a time. "But don't hate Koyuki. She's your friend too."

"She isn't my friend. We're More Peach Summer now. We're a three person group!" Natsumi pouted.

"I'd like to instead be understanding." Mois admitted, "I don't hate her in the least bit for what she did, admittedly. I might have been the same. Koyuki, her freedom has always been limited. Mine too. This agency...Maybe it's not as great as I first thought. After all it wasn't too Koyuki."

"Don't you say that! We're the good guys!" Natsumi yelled.

"I'm just trying to understand. I think...If I had been locked up unable to go to your school. To spend time with you like a normal girl, to be a cheerleader, to play with Tamama, to date Kululu, I would have turned traitor too or been tempted. So I can't hate Koyuki. Because I understand her." Mois smiled, "She just wants to be free. The difference between her and me is I trust that someday Keroro will let me be free, the heads of the agency might let me be normal, and I am thankful for the chance of being alive they have given me. But Koyuki didn't owe them anything. And they weren't giving her that chance."

Natsumi wiped at her eyes and sniffled. Mois was so understanding. "You guys will always be there for me, right?"

Momoka nodded. "We'll always be More Peach Summer, even without Snow. If she wants to come back she can. But More and Peach will be there for you."

"I'll always be here. By your side and in your heart." Mois promised.

"Thanks." Natsumi held them both. They really were trying to pick up the slack, to cheer her up at the loss of her best friend. And she was thankful for that.

They were the best.

* * *

"Ku." The mole was gone. Kululu could no longer track her via her chip. Koyuki must have finally left the agency but that didn't help give him a portal into what they were up to.

"Oh well, I'm almost done with my plans." Kululu shrugged. He was a little worried of Giroro recognizing at least somewhat of his plan. He had been working on these stylish necklaces for a while, they were backed with a completely fictional company that he had made to just sell these stylish necklaces faking references as if it had always been there. They all had spirals on them because the public was a bunch of idiots and even if the super-villain 966 wore spirals they wouldn't put the pieces together.

These necklaces and the company itself was broadcasting a strong mind control signal that made people buy the necklaces- very susceptible to wanting them and wearing them thinking it was just 'trendy. They were given away to poor people all over the world, and were sold at a pretty low price.

The only people who wouldn't want them would be people in power, people who worked in the military, people with sinful evil minds or had committed terrible crimes. Kululu had researched the brain mechanics.

By tomorrow, everybody effectively 'good' would be wearing his necklaces. And then the really fun part to him came.

His necklaces had a special device in them that protected the people from his satellites. And when the satellites broadcasted the signal around the world every human without a necklace on would explode.

And then he'd take control. It was mass murder, a simple procedure to clean out the evil. He had actually designed the explosive mechanism off of the bombs he had found on Mois. They really were impressive.

Everybody in power would be dead. Anarchy would rule, and then he'd swoop in before the people could be left to anarchy. He'd rule with fear. And if the people didn't want to be ruled, well then they could kill each other from the anarchy.

"Ku, ku, ku! I am twisted. Anyone who wants to live in my new world will be protected but everyone else will die." Kululu smiled, a deranged and twisted smile. His master plan- perfect. A bit far away from his original goal but he was an insane and deranged individual.

He knew realistically everybody couldn't buy his necklaces on average 50%-60% of the human population would miss out, but well...Over-population was a problem anyway. Now it would be cured.

What a great guy Kululu was!

There was just one last thing he had to do, before he could start the explosions. Assure that Mois got a necklace. She couldn't be caught in the explosion.

And since she didn't know of his plan she wouldn't suspect anything.

* * *

Angol Mois was still a little worried about the Koyuki issue, about 966's plans and the attacks of the underground, but she had a scheduled date with Kululu that night and she tried not to be late for dates.

"Hey!" Mois smiled and kissed him on the nose as she threw her arms around him, Kululu picked her up and spun her.

"You okay? You look like your eyes are a bit red and puffy." Kululu remarked as she greeted him. Mois wiped at her eyes.

"A friend of mine...Moved away." She lied.

 _Ah, so Koyuki really did leave the agency._ Kululu's suspicions had been confirmed. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's all right. It wasn't anyone's fault." Mois shook her head. "Now, what did you want to do tonight? Hopefully no super villains attack this date like last one. I'm so glad you were safe during that dance. I was so mad at that mean 966 for putting you in danger!" She pouted.

"I was more worried about you, Mois." Kululu told her. "If you got hurt, well I know you probably think I'm some wimp but I wouldn't stand for it!"

"Would you fight for me?" Mois teased.

"Definitely. I would protect you." Kululu promised.

"I'm glad you didn't try to get onto the stage and fight 966. That would have been pretty dumb. But we were all like frozen so nobody was in danger." She squeezed his hand.

Kululu didn't speak about it anymore, "So I made reservations at a restaurant? Want to eat?"

Mois nodded, "You're always so thoughtful. I love you so much!"

Kululu smiled. He liked attention.

* * *

They made small chatter at the restaurant. Nothing deep, only lies about their daily activities.

Eventually Kululu bent down on one knee with a box.

Mois covered her face, blushing. "A-are...Are you proposing!? OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD." She cutely freaked out.

 _Uhhh...I wasn't proposing. But I suppose the one knee thing did give the wrong impression. Should I change my lines?_ "Mois, I love you. You're the most important person in my life, and I love you more than anything."

Mois just grinned wildly.

"And I wanted to give you a gift, a token, to show you how much I loved you...?" He waited to see disappointment. _If she wants me to propose...I mean I can do that too..._

"Oh, I thought you were doing something else..." Mois admitted.

"Mois! We're still in highschool. And although I have every intention of marrying you, I'm not proposing yet. Cute that you're a bit impatient though." Kululu teased.

Mois blushed. "Shut up."

Kululu got back into his chair and opened the box for her. It was a necklace he had specially designed for her, a spiral necklace made like the ones being mass produced but also was covered in yellow diamonds and a small gold chain.

"Kululu! Where did you get something so lovely? Is that diamonds?" Mois asked.

"May I put it on you?" Kululu asked. Mois nodded. "My parents sent over a lot of money to me for my good grades." He lied. "It's all because of you that I was able to pull myself up. So I thought it was best to use it on you. And it was pretty easy to find these for cheap."

"And I love spirals!" Mois smiled, "They're cute."

"I know. Your bra has them on it~." Kululu grinned. What a funny little coincidence. Mois blushed.

"Kululu, shhh! None of that in public!" Mois told him as Kululu leaned in to kiss her neck. Kululu sighed and just put the necklace on her.

"Promise me that you'll wear it always, okay? You're my treasure, so...I want you to be wearing something from me that is a literal treasure." Kululu begged.

"I promise. I'll never take it off." She put her arms around him. "I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too." Kululu smiled as she put her hands in his hair and kissed him. Kululu just leaned into the kiss.

All was going according to plan.

* * *

Mois walked in the next morning, smiling and being very cheerful.

"Mois, you didn't come back to the agency last night. You know that could be very suspicious especially after Koyuki's betrayal." Saburo scolded. "Where were you?"

"If...What I heard in her conversations were true...I think I know." Keroro looked like he was going to vomit. Even if Mois had been betraying them as soon as moaning had begun he had ditched out. Maybe she was a second mole, but it hadn't been worth it to him to look into it. He just Excalibur faced at the idea that she hadn't returned home because she was getting laid.

"I was at my boyfriend's." Mois said honestly. "It was for my cover." She lied.

Saburo just shrugged. "You don't talk much about this boyfriend at the office."

"I don't like to. It's just a cover thing." Mois lied. Keroro tuned her out. Natsumi and Momoka chatted with Tamama over some donuts.

Giroro just stared at Mois in shock. "That necklace-!"

"Oh this?" Mois pointed. "It was a gift."

"It's a spiral. 966's symbol." Giroro told her.

Mois blushed. "Well, I mean it's not a crime to wear spirals. Other people do."

"But a spiral necklace. I think I remember 966 mentioning something like that in one of his plans- something about testing mind control susceptibility, mass producing them."

Saburo's eyes widened. He quickly started doing some work on the computers, typing rapidly and pulling up the 966 files. "Damn. He's started a new plan. You're right. Necklaces just like those are being sold everywhere. They're really popular and trendy right now."

Momoka nodded. "They're pretty cheap. But this newbie came out of nowhere selling them. Nishizawa's are going to stomp him."

"Your boyfriend probably got that for cheap." Giroro accused.

Mois frowned. But that did make sense. She doubted Kululu had the amount of money to make something so extravagant.

"May I borrow it?" Saburo asked. Mois looked defensive. "Fine! You're good with technology too. Can you examine it for me? Remember it's to fight against 966. Not because your boyfriend made a mistake."

Mois frowned. "Fine. I'll examine it in detail." She carefully unclapsed it. "But I'm telling you it's harmless." She went to the labs with Saburo.

* * *

They both came back pale.

"It wasn't harmless was it?" Momoka asked.

"N-no..." Mois shook her head. "It was probably sold by 966. Poor, poor Kululu..."

"So what's the status? What does it do?" Keroro asked.

"I've worked out his plan with Giroro...And it's terrifying." Saburo paled. "I got a prototype of the mass produced ones and it does have mind control susceptibility like Giroro described so that people will buy it, but it's not just that...It protects from a radiation. Through further research this guy's just installed some satellites. It can be hypothesised that he plans to destroy the world, with everyone who wears these necklaces not exploding from the radiation once he hits whatever button controls them. The satellites are out of distance of missiles too, it would take too long to blast them down even with the Nishizawa technology...He's going to destroy the world in estimated...A few hours. With the people wearing these necklaces the humans he'll take over and rule. We're talking about mass murder on a global scale. And he has the means to do it. The apocalypse is going to happen." Saburo was panicking. He had never seen anything this big.

Everyone was sweating. All except Natsumi who was trying to keep a level head.

"Well then we stop him." She said simply. "That's my job isn't it. We find him, and we kill him before he can hurt everyone. An all or nothing battle. We do whatever's necessary to save lives, even if it means teaming up with our enemies, the underground. We enlist everyone and beat him!"

"We don't even know where he is!" Momoka reminded, "We can't attack him if we don't know who or where he is."

Saburo tried to steady his breathing. "Mois, honey, could you get me some hot cocoa?" Mois nodded and left.

"We don't have hot cocoa, Saburo. She's not going to come back for a while until she realizes that." Keroro reminded him.

"I know. I wanted to get rid of her." Saburo told him.

"Same, man. Same." Tamama agreed, laughing. Everybody looked at him. He stopped.

"I...I have a theory to where he is. But I need you to confirm it, Keroro." Saburo told him. "Remember that school dance? How when our fake ninja attacked you and Tamama hid and installed cameras to test my '966 is a highschool student theory' and you've been slowly trying to look at what student went missing and turned into 966 but it's been a grueling and unforgiving task?" Saburo asked.

Keroro nodded. "Got any ideas where I should look?"

"Check Mois's date. Kululu." Saburo suggested.

Natsumi gasped. "Okay, I talked to that guy and he is not 966. He's a dork, he's...Okay he's a complete jerk." She actually was speechless for a moment, "But he's dating Mois! Why do you think that...?"

"Her necklace wasn't being sold, was it?" Giroro guessed, "On the websites. It's custom made. And it doesn't have the mind control built in. If it's custom made someone had to make it. And her boyfriend was the one who gave it to her."

Saburo nodded. "I tried to look on-line if the necklace she had was being sold. But it's original. Different."

"We have a hit." Keroro saw. "Kululu did in fact go missing during the dance and wasn't frozen. Oh my god. It was Mois's boyfriend. I...I can't believe he was so close by."

"Explains why he kidnapped her too and was trying to convince her to join him. She probably doesn't know, but he probably figured it out the night of the dance." Momoka realized.

"WAIT. WAIT. WAIT A MINUTE." Tamama hissed, "But didn't last night she did the diddly with him?" He gasped.

"Ewwwww...He was my old boss." Giroro scrunched up his face. "Wait, 966 was dating her the whole time? Ewwww...And I thought I was bad falling for the enemy- I mean...Um..." He cleared his throat. "He slept with the enemy!" He just shouted that still astonished.

"We know." Natsumi frowned. Poor Mois she had no idea. "W-what...What do we do? He'll destroy us all, but..." Thinking back on it Kululu had been watching her and Koyuki because he had seen them before as 966 and had realized Mois's friends were in the agency. He hadn't been checking them out. Did he really love Mois? "How can we tell Mois? She won't be able to kill him...She'll be too conflicted."

"I'm back guys!" Mois smiled. "I found some hot cocoa in Tamama's things. Sorry, Tamama."

Tamama frowned at her deeply.

Mois frowned at them all looking so dramatic. "What did I miss? Were you plotting something? Need me to do something? You can send me up to space you know. Super soldier, remember?"

Keroro put his hands on Mois's shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Don't question my orders, Mois. But-" He looked at Natsumi who was glaring at him. He couldn't tell her, "You need to break up with your boyfriend. That's an order."

Mois's eyes widened. "No! If its the end of the world I'm not going to break up with him before we all die!"

"Mois..." It was Momoka who decided to break the news to her, "Kululu...He's...He's 966. We looked at footage of the dance and we've confirmed it. That's where he's been hiding."

Mois's eyes widened. Her knees felt weak and she collapsed. "No...No, that can't be possible!" Natsumi knew the sound in Mois's voice. The sound of utter betrayal.

"It is." Keroro told her.

Mois looked at the ground, crying softly, thinking to herself. It all made sense now. 966's actions towards her, how Kululu was clearly very intelligent but hiding it, Kululu's odd house that had been filled with all sort of weirdly created inventions and alarm systems.

Actually now that someone mentioned it, Kululu was in a way a lot of ways like 966. It fit seeing him that way.

"Break up with him. Please. You understand my orders now." Keroro told her.

Mois looked up at Keroro. "No." She said softly.

"Mois? Did you hear us? He's a villain! He's going to kill us all!" Keroro reminded.

"But I still love him." She said simply. Keroro groaned. "Mois-" He needed to talk her out of this, but before he could continue Saburo cut him off.

"He's going to cause the end of the world." Saburo reminded her. "Do you want that?"

"No. I want to stop him. I don't want my friends to die." Mois answered.

"Then...If you won't break up with him, talk to him. You're the only anchor to his real life, his other identity. It's bad that he's your boyfriend, but it also might be our saving grace. Because Mois, you might be the only person who can stop him. Will you talk to him...For us?" Saburo requested. Keroro's eyes bulged as he looked at him oddly.

"I will. I will meet with Kululu and speak to him. I will convince him to stop." Mois promised. "But I won't break up with him."

Keroro bit his lip, glancing at Saburo. "Okay...But Mois, if it doesn't work promise me that you'll run out of there! Just book it as fast as you can! Promise!" He begged. "The world's life. Your life. It isn't worth your highschool romance. Highschool romances aren't that important."

Mois didn't agree. Kululu...He was something special. And even if he was on a wrong path now, she would still love him unconditionally. She just had to talk him out of it.

Her friend's lives depended on it. But she wouldn't run. If he wanted to destroy the world, he'd have to destroy her too. And she trusted he wouldn't do that.

She loved Kululu and knew he was worth all of this. She would not run despite Keroro's warnings.

* * *

 **So I probably won't get around to it in story, but since I've mentioned where all the rest of the Garuru platoon is I'll just say where Taruru is in this universe. He trains at Tamama's dojo. He's one of his students.**

 **Anyway, please review.**

 **Next chapter will wrap up the '966' arc.**

 **ALSO! I have finished this entire story. Actually I wrote it all in January. So if I keep things only unedited. (Sorry, but please tell me if I should post things fast and unedited or wait for my sister to edit them), I'll be able to post the rest of the chapters (It ends at chapter 17) very soon.**

 **So tell me what you think.**


	13. Their Pururu

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **This is the end of arc 1. This chapter mostly focuses on Angol Mois and to an extent Kurumois.**

* * *

Mois suspected 966- or her boyfriend, Kululu would probably be in the lair that he had brought her when he kidnapped her. It was still well defended and although they knew the location of it, it was doubtful that he had moved due to it being pretty impenetrable.

So she approached it, hoping desperately that Kululu was inside. She had been given this opportunity for him, for them. She had to prove to the agency that Kululu wasn't a villain. She had to save the world's life- and Kululu's. Either outcome was bad. Her friends killing him or him killing the world with her friends on it.

 _966...No, Kululu...I'm coming._ How could she have not realized that they were the same? Or...Had she always known deep down? Was that why she neglected to mention 966's texts to her? His flirtatious remarks?

She knew Kululu better than anyone. And 966 being his true personality wasn't the most surprising despite her initial reaction. Kululu tried purposefully to act like a dork, nice, but sometimes he would make sarcastic jerk filled remarks. Sometimes he would hunch over rather creepy. Sometimes he did seem to enjoy violence.

966 on the other hand said he wasn't a dork or nice. But he exhibited both qualities towards her. He was kind, trying to impress her and his touch was gentle. And he was very much a dork texting her like a sad puppy dog to join him.

Both were the true Kululu. And she was glad to finally see it.

"Kululu...I'm here..." She didn't knock on the door to alert the security. She merely blew up the front door with an explosive device.

The door blasted open and 966, decked in his usual attire stood awaiting her at the balconey.

"I figured you'd be here eventually. Ku, ku, ku. Couldn't stay away, could ya?" He teased. Mois walked in, dusting off the smoke from her outfit.

There was no need to put on a mask. She was just in her uniform with her real hair color. There would be no more lies between them any longer.

"Drop the voice changer and mask, Kululu, I know who you are." Mois acted tired.

Kululu looked down at her. "I knew you'd find out eventually. I was going to tell you eventually, if you had accepted my offer to join me for instance. After the world was mine I was going to tell you, I had an elaborate way planned too..." Kululu sounded a bit disappointed. "But I suppose your precious agency found out through the special necklace, huh? Ku. You're not wearing it. Pity. I thought you promised to wear it."

"You'd just kill everyone if I was." Mois told him, "Take off the mask."

Kululu took off the mask, his hat and voice changer so she could see his real face. He waited for her to be shocked as if seeing her boyfriend really as 966 was different than hearing the news.

There was a gun tied to her waist. She drew it.

"So...That's how it's going to be. I suppose this wasn't the person you fell in love with, huh?" Kululu looked a bit sad. She was planning to kill him after all.

She dropped the gun on the ground so he could see that she had no plans to harm her.

Kululu looked surprised momentarily. "Well that's a stupid decision. I thought you were some sort of super spy. Putting down your weapons in front of the enemy isn't very smart." He scolded.

"We're not enemies. It doesn't matter what side we're on, or what we're fighting for. We'll never be enemies, Kululu. That's how relationships work." She told him, "I wanted to show you that I came here to talk, nothing more. I'm merely presenting my weapons so you'll feel safer. You could say, just a friendly chat?" She took off a boot and poured out some explosives.

Kululu was surprised. She was so trusting, so willing to just talk to him. That was his Mois. He let her walk up the stairs to him, patting on a couch so she could sit down next to him.

"So...You didn't come here to kill me and break up with me? Are you joining me?" Kululu asked excitedly.

"No to all three." Mois smiled, "I want to convince you out of killing everyone. And I will talk to you about it with all my heart. I want you to give up this villain thing, Kululu." She begged.

"Ku. Not going to happen. But I suppose if it's a conversation you want. I can give you one too. About why this is necessary. You won't convince me, and in a little bit this world will die. I'll get you to put on one of those safety necklaces even if it's against your choice and that will be the end of that." Kululu told her.

Mois sighed. But she was determined. She didn't sat next to him as he stretched out on the couch with a small button in his hand. Instead she looked down at him. She would convince him.

This was a conversation that she bet the world on.

* * *

"Why...Why didn't you send any back up after Mois? I think if she gets in the way of Kululu's goal, he'll kill her." Natsumi frowned. "Back up is the smart choice."

Keroro sighed. "We...We can't. We gave her a chance. She has to talk to him."

"Let me and Momoka go. We're her team. We can't let her take this hit for all of us. Let us protect her." Natsumi begged.

"NO!" Keroro shouted, "It's...It's a solo mission. She needs to do this alone. If you or Momoka go, we'll just get the guards to detain you. You can't help her."

Natsumi's fists shook. She felt so powerless. The clock of the world was ticking down and only Mois had a chance to stop it. And she knew a conversation with the most evil soul alive wouldn't stop it.

Mois was in danger! She had to stop her.

Momoka looked like she was struggling with the thought that she couldn't help. "I'm a Nishizawa! I can go!"

"No. This is one place Nishizawa orders, Nishizawa funding; has no place. The agency's laws go above the Nishizawas in this mission." Keroro told her.

Momoka felt so useless. She glanced at Natsumi.

"S-she'll be fine." Natsumi knew she had to be the leader. Strong. Pretend to be charismatic and optimistic. "I have faith in Mois. She's really good at talking to people. Maybe...Maybe she will stand a chance."

She really hoped she did. She wanted so badly to be with her.

* * *

"We have seen one of the members of the agency enter 966's lair." Zoruru presented to Jirara and Dororo and the rest of the underground. They were still trying to figure out what to do about the 966 issue, he had become too powerful.

They didn't yet know about how little time the world had.

"A lone agent? Has he gotten another mole?" Dororo asked.

"We do not know. She was armed and blew up his door so perhaps she's there to stop him. I think she's from the More Peach Summer team."

Koyuki looked up from the rice she was eating. She loved the underground so much more than the agency. "What hair color did she have?" Koyuki asked.

"Silver." Zoruru answered.

"Mois!" Koyuki frowned. "She's in danger, Dororo. Why would the agency send her in alone? She might be a super soldier but I doubt she could survive him."

"Lady Koyuki, do you trust your old friend?" Dororo asked.

Koyuki nodded. "I just don't trust the agency."

"Perhaps it's her plot. But right now we just have to watch what the agency is doing. We must put faith in Mois." Dororo told her.

Koyuki nodded. She supposed she could do that. Maybe Mois had a plan. If anyone could stop or kill 966 it was Mois.

Nobody could survive explosives.

* * *

Mois stroked Kululu's hair, putting a strand of it behind his hair. "Before we talk I want you to know that I love you, and despite your messed up decisions we will not be breaking up."

"Ku, ku, ku. You know you maybe could have tried going the route of 'if you do this I'm leaving' and it might have worked but I won't lose anything from destroying the world now." Kululu relaxed.

"I'm hoping you just won't do it out of the goodness of your heart." Mois told him, "After all this is wrong. You don't know how many people got those necklaces and the people who had those necklaces might have beloved people die because not all of them got them."

"Not my problem." Kululu shrugged.

"I myself, will have many friends die. Natsumi, Koyuki, Momoka, Keroro, Fuyuki, Saburo, and even Tamama! They'll all die." Mois tried to reason with him. "I don't want that."

Kululu did feel a little pity. "I'm sorry. They're part of the agency. I can't let Natsumi, Koyuki and Momoka live. If Koyuki was still working for me, maybe her, but not Natsumi and Momoka. And Tamama? He hates you. No reason for him to live."

"And what about Giroro? He's your friend. Do you really want him to die?" Mois asked.

"He betrayed me. We weren't really friends. The only person I have is you. And even you I won't sacrifice my chance to rule the world for." Kululu told her bluntly.

"Kululu..." Mois frowned at him, "Why is it you really want to do this? Rule the world?"

"I want to reform it. I want to make it just, right. I don't want people to suffer like we have. When I was little my parents were killed by a corrupt government official, but the whole story was covered up. Not even a trial could be sought just because we were poor. Peaceful protests didn't work against them. My siblings learned that lesson the hard way. And soon there was just me left. I was allowed to live because I stayed in line. They just left me in a ditch thinking that I wouldn't ever come back to bite them in the butt, but I did." Kululu had a hint of pride in his voice, "Not only did I start working for the official who had killed my mother under the fake name of '966' only meeting on-line with my new persona I gathered loads of information, black-mail on him. Sure I did his under handed dirty work for a while, lots of the governments dirty work, but I got rich. And soon I had the means to destroy them and I killed that official in cold blood. Still think we should have a friendly talk?"

Mois's eyes weren't scared of him as he spoke. Instead they had that terrible unconditional love that they always did. "I'm so sorry...I had no idea that happened to you." She hugged him.

"Mois, you're on a counter. There's no time for pity. And honestly this whole conversation has just made me realize how much more I want to rule." Kululu told her. "You can't tell me that the government hasn't ruined your life either. I had no idea the pollution that they put through your town, how you had been sickly and dying for a time! And then the inhumane experiments placed on you? Did it hurt?"

"It...It did. But it saved my life. And if it hadn't happened I would have never met you. So everything has a reason, something good that comes of it." She admitted. She didn't want him to get sidetracked. "Kululu, don't destroy the world like this. If you do you'll be exactly like the government officials you so despise. You're already going down that path of corrupt. Do you want to be like them? If you ruled with an iron fist you'd make more people like yourself, hurt by your actions. It would be an endless cycle." She lectured.

Kululu bit his lip. "I know that. But I have to. I've come so far, Mois. I might be corrupt but the world needs to change before it's too late-"

She pressed a finger to his lip to hush him. "Listen to me, my love. My first loyalty may be to the agency, but I wholeheartidly do not agree with your plan to do this. Because it will hurt you too. I know you know deep down that this is a rushed plan, that people will die that you didn't plan to die. Not everybody has those necklaces. And I don't want to see you going down this corrupt path. I owe it to you to stop you."

Kululu listened. "I can't just give up now. If I do, I may lose my chance to rule the world forever. And you know now who I am, if I give up on this plan either I'll be dragged to jail or I'll be on the run and the agency will use you as bait to hurt me. I can't let that happen. I love you too much to let them hurt you." He told her.

"They won't hurt me." She reassured.

"I don't know that. They have an electrical chip in you that can electrocute you if you disobey orders. That's creepy. Ku." Kululu told her, "Ugh, geez. You've made this whole thing much more complicated. You know, I never really planned to fall in love with you and I especially didn't know you were a spy. Being tutored was just part of my cover. But when I met you-" He stroke her cheek, "I think I was doomed to fall for something so pure, something that I yearned for so much but was clearly not."

"Our relationship was part of our cover, but it became so real so quickly." Mois told him.

She was silent for a moment, before taking his hand in hers. "You have to decide. Because I...I don't want my friends to die. I love you, Kululu. But I love Natsumi and Momoka and Koyuki too. The agency might have done some bad things to me, your right. But they did good things too! I met my first real friends because of them and I would do anything to protect them. Please...Please don't take them away from me." She begged.

Her plea was so pathetic, so sad.

"I want to protect them. I won't let you kill More Peach Summer Snow. Even if I love you and have to fight with you to get that small little controller out of your hand I won't let you kill them. There are so many reasons for you not to do this, for me, for you, for the world, can't you see that? You have friends too. Giroro I'm sure would care about you if you let him back in. You miss him, don't you?"

Kululu didn't answer. He avoided eye contact.

"Deep down you don't want to kill him. That's why you're giving me this chance to talk. You made sure I had a necklace so you wouldn't be lonely. Ruling on your own without anyone to help you is a sad job. And you let me take that necklace back to the agency for them to figure out just so you could be thwarted. Because you don't want to do this. You don't want to be corrupt. You want your original vision, the one Giroro supported with you, of recreating the world with justice."

"You don't have any proof of that." He said quietly and in somewhat denial.

"So let's get you back to that vision. Come back with me. I'll make sure you aren't captured. We'll recreate this world a better way, with justice and by not killing innocents. Together we can figure a way out." She reassured. "I won't press the off button for you. But I want you to."

"I told you that I wouldn't do it for you. And I was telling the truth." Kululu hissed.

"But will you do it for you?" Mois asked, "And will you really not do it for me? Because if you kill the entire world with my friends on it, I won't break up with you, but I will die along with them. I'm not abandoning them."

Kululu's eyes widened. "Dirty. Holding yourself hostage. Dirty trick. You know I would never do anything to put you in danger."

She straddled his lap and waited for him to make his choice. "Do it for me, do it for you. But please do it for one of us. Release the planet from your plan."

Kululu looked into her eyes. He sighed in annoyance. "I suppose I really am going to have to join your agency, am I? Use my inventions for good instead of evil."

"You'll do it?" Mois asked.

"Not for you. Not for me. But for us." He pressed a button making the necklaces useless and blowing up the satellite.

Mois smiled, so proud of him. "Oh, Kululu!" She threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately on the lips.

He had saved them. He had saved them all. He had an ounce of purity, an ounce of good in him after all. She had brought him out of his deranged state.

"You did this to me. If I had never learned you were a spy, never seen you, this wouldn't have happened!" Kululu accused, but he quickly shut up when her lips were on his, letting her straddle and kiss him.

Maybe this was what he had wanted. Her accepting him and helping him find a different choice. He felt safe for once.

It wasn't something he had felt since he was very young and had still seen good in the world. Before his family had been murdered. It was a nice feeling.

Mois had saved him.

Natsumi, Momoka, and Giroro all crowded around Keroro and Saburo as they listened into Mois and Kululu's conversation from her tracking device.

* * *

"S-she...She did it!" Natsumi was honestly surprised. She cried in relief, holding Momoka's hands and jumping up and down.

Keroro just cried. "She...She didn't run away!"

"Of course she didn't! She's part of my team! A More Peach Summer Snow girl! She has courage!" Natsumi was so proud of Mois.

"Mois kicked his butt! Love really did triumph." Momoka smiled.

"Yeah..." Keroro put his face in his hands. "Saburo! You heard them. He's good. He really is."

"The town's already been evacuated by the Nishizawa forces." Saburo told him from a computer. He was still recovering from his panic attack. He felt a little better now that the satellite had exploded, but he had been tense. Tense the entire time.

"Wait. Why has the town she's in been evacuated?" Natsumi asked.

"I didn't...Why are you using the Nishizawa forces? What's going on?" Momoka was confused.

"Saburo. Saburo, don't. You're not in charge of mission control here. The mission has been resolved." Keroro talked to Saburo as if he wasn't there.

"But I'm in charge of the 966 case. And I know even if he is good he's the most dangerous man in the world. One line saying he's turned around won't solve anything. He's killed people. And he had the means to destroy the world. We can't let him live, and you know that. I'm just so glad we had Mois on the case so we could solve this before it could get worse." Saburo told him.

"Saburo-" Keroro tried to cut him off.

"I've talked to the agency heads. It's above your head, Keroro. I have the order. You can't stop it." Saburo told him.

Keroro just cried more.

"W-what's...What's going on, stupid frog?" Natsumi asked.

"I...I really did try Natsumi...I told her to run away. That this wasn't worth a high school romance. But she didn't listen to me. She didn't listen at all." Keroro cried. He glanced at Saburo.

Saburo pulled out a button that resembled a lipstick container. He sighed and pressed it. Keroro just bawled.

"Ten minutes until detonation." A voice counted.

Natsumi's eyes widened. "A bomb? You're going to bomb 966?" She asked. "But...But Mois's there!" She grabbed Keroro by the collar, "What's going on, stupid frog?"

"I...I told her to run...They could have both survived if she ran. If she really loved him that would have been fine as long as she ran. Then this wouldn't be happening..." Natsumi threw Keroro to the ground and looked at Saburo.

"Where's the bomb?" She asked.

"Mois..Mois is the bomb." Saburo said simply. "Best human bomb the agency's ever made. What, did you think an all-terrain super soldier was something the agency was going to make without some safety precautions? That would be pure idiocy!" Saburo laughed. He was still quite anxious about the near death experience and had done drastic things to save himself from 966. "During the experiments they made a super-soldier...But they also made a deadly weapon. If she were to turn on the agency at any point or be captured by the enemy, well, she'd be detonated. A suicide soldier, the perfect weapon to drive the final nail into the enemy's coffin. Poor girl didn't even know she was a walking bomb. But why would the agency make someone that powerful who could betray them?"

Natsumi punched Saburo throwing him to the ground and kicking him. "I hate you." She hissed.

"Natsumi. I had too. You know that 966 is evil." Saburo was cold, calculating. "A spy doesn't care about one when it comes to millions of lives. I made the right choice. I thought you knew how to be a spy?"

Natsumi spat on him, stepping on his face so he would shut up. "Stupid frog! Get it to stop! Save Mois!"

Keroro shook his head. "I can't. It's a one time detonation. It can't stop." He was pale. "Saburo's...Saburo's right. 966 has proven himself too dangerous to be allowed to live. Even if he randomly had a change of heart."

Giroro punched him in the face. "So all those fancy words about how you'd protect More Peach Summer Snow's team was a lie? You're going to let them go through exactly what we went through and lose one of their members? I trusted you, but you're exactly like the rest of the agency. They've modeled you into the perfect little head."

Keroro didn't rub his face. He hated himself at that moment too. "I...I tried to protect her. Give her a good life. I knew all along what had happened to her. I hadn't authorized the experiments but I had hoped...If I put her in a public team she wouldn't be detonated. A public school would be too risky to detonate her bomb. I tried to make her safe, make her loyal to the agency so she'd never be at risk for that detonation...But, it happened anyway. I didn't want it to happen."

Giroro punched him again, trying not to cry. Natsumi and Momoka...they'd go through exactly what he had gone through.

Their Pururu was dying.

* * *

A clock beeped as if it was counting down all of a sudden. Mois pulled her lips off of Kululu.

"W-what was that?" She asked. The sound seemed to be coming from her.

"Three minutes." A strange and robotic voice came from her chest.

Kululu's eyes widened and he pushed her off. Quickly he pulled out a small scanner. "Remember the first time you came to my house and all those alarms?" He asked as he scanned her.

"Yeah. They went off when I came in. They were security because you were paranoid, right?" Mois asked.

"Yeah. They were supposed to sense explosives, in case someone booby trapped my apartment or was trying to smuggle a bomb in." Kululu told her. "DAMN." He threw his scanner to the side.

"Yeah. And then you said I was 'the bomb' after you apologized and turned them off. It was such a dorky pick up line." Mois giggled.

"Yeah, at the time it was a dorky pick up line. I had assumed it was a mistake. When I learned you were a spy I thought you had been carrying explosives on you for safety reasons, but...You are the bomb." Kululu told her seriously.

"Why thank you!" Mois grinned.

"No. I mean you are a bomb! You have a bomb inside of you. Those damn agency guys must have put it in you during your experiments. You should have never trusted them, I should have never trusted them to be good to you. Damn. I was so tricked. It seems to be a pretty big one, could take out this whole city. They made you into a suicide soldier, Mois. In eight minutes you're going to die!" Kululu told her.

Mois's eyes widened. She was shaking, she had no idea. She felt so betrayed. So violated. "You can't-"

"I don't have time to remove it without killing you." Kululu told her. "And even if I did kill you it would be risky."

A tear slid down Mois's cheek. "You've got all sorts of hardware here." She got up, "Probably a jet to get to safety right? Run as fast as you can to there and fly off, I'll go the opposite direction. I won't let you die." She turned around.

Kululu grabbed her arm. "No." He refused.

"Well then what do you suggest!?" She screamed, her face covered in tears. "There's nothing you can do to save me! I am going to die! I can't fight that. But I don't want you to die. So live. Run!" She pushed him, desperately trying to get him to leave.

He shook his head. "I know you're going to die." He told her sadly. He couldn't fight that.

"So why aren't you running then?" She was sobbing. "You could live. You have the means!"

"I gave up destroying the world for you. My plans to rule this place." He told her, looking down at her, "What's my small and insignificant life compared to that?"

Mois stopped breathing for a moment, in shock. "You're not...You aren't thinking of staying?"

"I'm staying." He told her, "I love you. I won't let you just die alone. This was my fault anyway, they're trying to kill me, aren't they?"

Mois nodded. "But...But I want you to live."

"I don't want to without you. You're the one good thing in my life. So stop fighting me on this." Kululu growled.

Mois let him hug her. He draped his arms around her as she and him collapsed onto the floor, the clock continued ticking down as she just let her head rest on his chest. She was in so much shock that she was going to die, that everything was going to end in mere minutes.

"I've seen a lot of death in my time, you know, Mois?" Kululu was calm as she cried. He knew he was going to die. There was no way he could survive the explosion, "My parents, my siblings, people I've killed and hurt for the government or just because. It stopped fazing me."

Her body shook. He stroked her hair lovingly.

"But your life...Your life would shake me too much. If you died I would never get over it. There is no replacement for you. No healing. You are my world." Kululu told her, he put his hands on her cheek and let her look up at him.

She could see he was crying a little too. He wiped a tear off of her cheek. He leaned down and kissed her.

"Don't be scared. We're in this together. I'm here. Let's...Let's just be happy for one final moment? Even if it's only two minutes. Just us. No villains, no agency. Just us."

"I guess you did get your _Justice_ in the end, huh?" Mois laughed, "The thing you wanted?" She made a pun about just us and justice.

"Ku. Now's not the time." He reminded.

Mois nodded, "I know."

She just held him in a loving embrace. He hummed a lullaby to her.

It was the end for both of them.

* * *

Natsumi cried and cried. She slammed her hands on keyboards all over the agency but nothing would stop the counter.

And eventually there were only ten seconds left. She could hear that Mois's crying had waned and just a lullaby of a tune was left.

"Good-bye, Mois. I love you." She could hear Kululu's voice. She had doubted he really loved her the whole time, but his refusal to leave her was something that the agency hadn't given Mois. They wouldn't let anyone come with her. But Kululu had.

"Good-bye, Kululu." Mois's last words.

"0" The clock counted. The floor shook a little. That was how big the explosion was. She could hear just the distance of the explosion as if it was a single gun shot.

It rung in her ears.

The tracker went dead. Mois was completely gone- all traces of her. There was probably just ash left from the explosion. Maybe 966's mask thanks to the hardware that had been made from it.

Momoka threw up. Natsumi just stood there frozen.

 _Mois...Mois._ "NOOOO!" She screamed.

She blacked out, not hearing Giroro and Keroro's stifled sobs.

It was all done. More Peach Summer Snow was finished.

* * *

 **Next arc will follow Dororo, mostly, and the underground will be the villains. It'll only be four chapters.**

 **Please review.**

 **Also! Do not fret about the lack of updates in the sgt frog community. My life involving sgt frog fanfiction reminds me a bit of that one simpsons episode where Burns says to Homer, "Don't forget, you're here forever."**

 **I am doomed. But I have many more fanfictions to come. Do not worry! I would like to know though. Do you guys prefer in universe fanfiction with the canon universe. (Examples, like Heartbeat Lies or Happy End?) Or Au's?**


	14. Frozen in Time

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

 **And thus begins the second arc.**

* * *

 **One Month later**

Natsumi lay on the sofa, switching channels on the TV. She was at her home, not the agency. She couldn't bare to look at Keroro and Saburo's faces.

She hadn't been able to speak to them in a month. Actually everyone at the agency she hadn't spoken to. She didn't know if she could still take missions- More Peach Summer Snow didn't exist any longer. The only ones who had survived were Peach and Summer.

"Are...Are you feeling any better, sis?" Fuyuki asked, trying to check up on her. He had brought her a meal. He had heard about what happened with Mois but wasn't as shaken up.

Natsumi barely looked up at him. She had barely spoken to anyone actually in the month. Except Momoka. She could talk to Momoka fine.

Even her own brother she hadn't spoken to.

Fuyuki left her food there for her. "Please...Eat up, okay?" He asked, "It's not healthy skipping meals so much."

Natsumi gave a small nod. But everything tasted bland. Like ash. Like what Mois's body was now.

"And the statue to honor the brave heroine who defeated 966 has been finished!" One of the news channels stated, "966's final stages of his plan were exposed and despite an entire city being destroyed in the process, this brave heroine from the team known as More Peach Summer Snow went in with a bomb and managed to destroy him and herself in the process. We thank the brave hero More and will remember her forever fondly!" A sheet was pulled off a statue of Angol Mois.

Natsumi grit her teeth. The agency had leaked the story of 966's plot to the government and news sites so they knew how much they had saved them. They had made Mois into a martyr, a hero, instead of what she really was- a victim.

Natsumi turned off the TV. Mois was being celebrated everywhere for something she hadn't chosen to do. It was a disgrace to her memory.

"You saw the news too, huh?" Momoka asked walking into Natsumi's house. She too was looking rather skinny, taking the grief personally. She had heard that Momoka had stopped talking to everyone in the month too.

"A statue for killing 966, huh?" Natsumi asked, "I bet Mois is crying up there in the afterlife, considering she loved him."

Momoka slumped on the couch.

"Fuyuki's here. Do you want to talk to him?" Natsumi asked.

"He doesn't understand what we went through. What happened." Momoka told her, "Some things are more important than childish crushes."

Natsumi's eyes opened. "So...It's true that you've been ignoring him too. Are you...Are you over him?" She asked.

"Not to be rude, but I haven't had much time to feel any sort of romantic feelings or affection when one of my best friends died!" Momoka sounded irritated. "I..I can't feel anything except regret...I bet the Nishizawa money funded those experiments you know. They must have been expensive. In a way I made that bomb that killed her."

"Don't...Don't say that. It wasn't your fault." Natsumi tried to reassure.

"How can it not be? I have a responsibility. It's always my fault. How can I have so much power and be so powerless. Why do the guards, Paul, decide things for me? Why won't they let me see where the finances are going because I'm not in charge yet? I need to know!" Momoka cried. "I...I can't sleep. I wonder if my money did fund killing her? I can't touch any money."

Natsumi put her arm around Momoka. "I know. I know."

"Should we go into work? Or are we quitting? Is...Is Peach Summer dead?" Momoka asked.

"I don't know." Natsumi shook her head. "I want to be a spy, but...They killed Mois. We're the only ones left. Will they kill us too?"

"We can't protect each other. We couldn't even protect Mois." Momoka told her.

"I...I think I'm going in tomorrow. I need to ask Mom something. If she knew..." Natsumi told her.

"Okay." Momoka nodded, "I'll go in too. Tamama hasn't been that sad about Mois despite that she went to his school, but he has been trying to help me. He's been talking to me. I haven't talked back, but he's been trying..."

Natsumi nodded. They'd go in tomorrow then.

* * *

The moment she walked into the agency, Giroro's eyes lit up.

"So...So you came back. You're feeling better, then?" He asked.

Natsumi shook her head. "I came to see Mom. She hasn't been home in a while and here's the only place I know she'll be."

Giroro nodded. He could see that she looked sad. That warrior spirit he loved looked broken. "Natsumi, I heard you haven't been talking or eating much in the last month?"

She gave a small nod.

"Why haven't you come talked to me? Out of everyone I can understand what you're going through." Giroro told her.

Natsumi's eyes widened. He was right. And he sounded hurt that she hadn't gone to him. "You didn't seek me out." She pointed out.

"I assume you needed time to be alone. I know I did." Giroro told her. "But you're back...Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Can...Can you talk to me? About how you got through it. When Pururu died." Natsumi begged.

Giroro gave a small nod, he beckoned her onto a couch so she could sit comfortably. She was so small and weak looking at the moment. Nowhere near the strong warrior he had fought or the girl in the convenience store talking about spies.

She squirmed into the couch to get comfortable, leaning onto his arm. She didn't even care enough to tease him. She just wanted comfort.

Giroro didn't mind. He wasn't so petty to only like her at her best. "I was twelve. We were told it was a rescue mission, get into a remote government location and rescue the target." Giroro begun, "But it was a lie, we weren't being put in danger for a person's life. We were retrieving information. A briefcase with blueprints to weapons. It was heavily guarded. Just getting to the location was a week's journey in the dessert. When we fled all sorts of traps were sprung. One of which was a bridge. Keroro crossed it first, being the leader. He held the briefcase. After he crossed it, it went out. Pururu, Dororo and I were supposed to jump the gap. Dororo easily made the jump. So did I. We expected Pururu would too. But she was a medic, not a soldier like us. While she jumped a plane flew by with biochemicals spraying her with these sort of acid like things. The burns covered her body, Keroro threw out a rope to catch her and and her spine broke. She wasn't yet dead. Dororo and I pulled her out and immediately carried her off for medical attention as she screamed. It took 24 hours to get her back, just her screaming. But when we brought her back the agency told us that her spine could never be repaired. She sat in a hospital bed dying painfully. Dororo and I always suspected that the agency could have healed her but didn't because of her spine, if she could only move her head after all she wasn't useful to them. Eventually they gave her a needle that poisoned her, to put her out of her misery. They didn't give us time to say our good-byes. Her last seconds were a lot less painful than the hours of pain they put her through just to tell us they couldn't do anything. They weren't even operating! They just asked Keroro if he wanted to give her the injection to put her out of her misery. He shook his head every time but eventually gave in after she begged in the 48th hour." Giroro explained, his fist was shaking.

Natsumi looked up at him horrified. "What...What happened to you, Dororo and the stupid frog after seeing that?"

"Keroro took it the worst initially. Dororo and I were in shock. I was just vomiting and sick for a while. But Keroro blamed himself first as a leader. After a week he put everything he had into being loyal to the agency and tried to make Dororo and I closer to him. He was desperate to not lose us too. A week after that my brother died. I didn't much talk to anyone but Keroro didn't give me my space. Dororo had creative differences with both of us and just straight up left. He was angry. I left too after Garuru died. Garuru was horrified at what happened to Pururu. He was like our mentor, kind of like what Keroro is to you. I think he and Pururu were oddly close and he...He couldn't take one of us dying. He thought he'd fight back but he ended up dying himself." Giroro sighed.

"After I left the agency I spent five years on my own. Two of those years locked up in my own house crying, three trying to figure out who I was and what I had in my life. The fifth year I started working for 966 deciding to market myself to super-villain's and I agreed with his vision at the time..." Giroro sighed, "And now I'm back. Finally facing what happened. So it took me ten years to recover."

Natsumi was shaking. She buried her face in Giroro's shirt. Would it take her ten years to recover from Mois?

"You'll bounce back quicker. You have Momoka. I think my mistake was losing contact with Keroro and Dororo. They needed me too after all." Giroro told her, "But you've been keeping contact with Momoka. You're there for each other. I can't imagine how tough things are for Koyuki all alone."

Natsumi nodded. She didn't want to recover though. Mois wasn't a phase. She was a person.

A dead person.

* * *

After crying it out on Giroro, Natsumi finally went to her mother who was finishing up some paperwork.

"Oh, Natsumi, honey! How are you doing? I heard from Fuyuki over the phone that you were quite sick." Aki seemed concerned.

Natsumi frowned. "Did you know?"

"That you were sick?" Aki asked.

"No. About the bomb in my friend." Natsumi clarified.

Aki gave a deep sigh, "Yes." She admitted, "I had a clearance level to know about it. I told you that being a spy was dangerous, people die, your friends die, my husband died in this job..."

"You knew and you didn't tell me." Natsumi was silent, "You didn't stop it or complain against it."

"There are some things you don't need to know. You knew that well enough when you were idolizing this place. I know I don't have clearance to some secrets!" Aki pouted. "Natsumi, honey, I'm sorry."

"So, Saburo, you and the stupid frog were responsible. You didn't stop it when you could have. Mois is dead because of all of you!" Natsumi shouted. Her shout was so loud that it felt like the wall cracked.

Aki turned her head. The wall really had cracked. But it wasn't from Natsumi's shout. They were being attacked.

The underground- the ninjas were back. And they were led by none other than the ex-agent Koyuki. Koyuki's eyes were cold.

"Where the hell is Keroro?" She growled.

Keroro spun into the room from a wheely chair across the hall. "Here I am! Ooops." He announced.

"Throw them all into containment units. All except him. He's mine." Koyuki hissed, pointing to Keroro. She pulled out a knife and darted at him.

Natsumi's eyes widened at seeing her old friend.

"Koyuki-" Natsumi spoke the name in barely a whisper. The wound from her betrayal was still fresh. She hadn't seen her for a long time and she didn't know how Koyuki had taken the news of Mois.

Koyuki threw darts at agent and agent aiming fully for Keroro. Nishizawa guards, agents in the office, including Aki, tried to fight off the darts and the ninja but Koyuki was a potent killing mission.

Finally Koyuki reached Keroro. "You killed her. You killed Mois." She told him, "She was my friend. We were the same, imprisoned by this place. She always believed in you. And you planted a bomb in her." Her eyes were red and puffy. "You don't deserve life." She placed her blade at his throat. "You've made me kill so many people this way, made me a perfect assassin. Be prepared to meet the same end."

Keroro didn't act scared. "I'm sorry." He apologized, "I'm so sorry for what happened to Mois. I'm..I'm sad too. You don't understand how sad I am. I'd like to say it wasn't my fault, but it was. So kill me if you can and think it's right."

Natsumi gulped. She knew it wasn't really right to kill Keroro. Saburo had been the one responsible. Keroro was hurting too. He had tried to save her despite his orders.

She hurled herself at Koyuki, throwing her towards the wall away from Keroro. "It's not his fault." She defended.

"Not his fault? What are you talking about, Natsumi? You loved Mois too! It's all their fault! The agency knew! They didn't tell any of us! If they did I could have brought her to the underground too. We could have been working on how to save her! I could have saved her!" Koyuki shouted.

Natsumi looked at her with utter pity. Koyuki was her enemy. Her foe, no longer her friend, but she felt so sorry for her. They were experiencing the same pain.

"She would have just blown up with you. They would have detonated her there." Natsumi told her, "And then you both would have been dead."

Koyuki cursed. "He should die for tricking us! He pretended to mentor us for years when he knew she was just doomed to die! He said he'd protect us! Save us from going through the same fate! And he didn't have any plans! So he's going to die." She brought up her knife again.

Natsumi grabbed her wrist and struggled against her. She was outmatched against Koyuki, especially because she hadn't eaten in a while. But Koyuki was violent and not thinking properly.

Eventually she threw Natsumi to the side. She was different. The old Koyuki would have never bruised Natsumi.

She walked forward to Keroro. Keroro didn't run.

"Lady Koyuki, this was not the plan." A ninja appeared out of smoke behind her. He draped his arm around her waist pulling her to him away from Keroro.

"I don't care, Dororo! He hurt her! He hurt Mois!" Koyuki cried.

"I doubt that. Keroro might be manipulative and a bit of a bully, but he wouldn't kill someone. He was probably just as manipulated as the rest." Dororo told her, "Please don't kill him. He's my friend."

"Dororo...It's you." Keroro realized. Dororo had grown up to look like a reject vocaloid, still wearing his mask over his mouth but also having long bright pink hair, like cherry blossoms. He had calm pale eyes and a sword by his side and was dressed in light blue.

"I'm sorry Mois died, Lady Koyuki. You know I am. We never planned this. We wanted the agency and 966 to destroy each other. We had planned for More Peach Summer Snow to not get caught up in it." Dororo apologized, "The agency is truly evil."

Koyuki leaned into his hug. Natsumi realized after a moment that Dororo was doing a pressure hold to relax her and make her more docile.

"Sorry, I will try to talk to her later." Dororo apologized, "But we have a plan to go through."

Giroro walked into the room with a gun. He had taken out quite a few ninjas. "So you were the true villain. Manipulating things behind the scene using Koyuki who was working for 966, the agency and you." Giroro hissed, "And your plan is to kill us?"

"No. To destroy the agency. The underground has grown tired of you, we'll be the real spy organization of this country. We don't need to pretend to be heroes." Dororo told him, "Ninjas, lock them up. They're not to be killed. They aren't the ones in charge of this operation. The three heads are and those our our targets."

Keroro frowned. "Dororo- What will you do with us? Are we just your prisoners?"

Dororo nodded. "Giroro, you left the agency when you realized they were evil too. I doubt you're here because you like them."

"I don't. I'm here for Natsumi." Giroro admitted.

"Then you're free to go. You are not my enemy." Dororo gave him a small nod and his eyes twinkled with a smile. He hadn't spoken to him in years but he still felt friendship for him.

"Koyuki! How could you work for these guys?" Natsumi yelled, "They're going to trap us and they're just replacing one place with another. You might have been able to save Mois if you stayed you know."

Koyuki frowned. "That's not true!" She shook her head, "And it's easy to know why I'm working with them. I believe in their goals. They're nice to me, they give me freedom. Dororo is my friend too. The agency didn't give me any freedom, they locked me up here, used me as a tool. But I suppose you didn't really notice because you were too happy with your spy life." She hissed.

Natsumi felt hurt. "They're manipulating you!"

"No. No they aren't. I chose to go to them." Koyuki told her honestly. "I'm happy with my choice. Are you happy with yours to stay with the agency?"

Natsumi didn't know.

* * *

It had been years ago, on a mission that she first met Dororo. It was before the creation of More Peach Summer Snow.

It was a simple assassination mission. Kill this guy who had been trying to start a personal army that he would use to overthrow the government.

He was at a fancy ball. Koyuki had been watching from the ceiling with a blow dart. It would be a simple hit, and then instant death.

A panel on the ceiling opened up to reveal another person. "Are you trying to kill him too?" The pink haired man asked.

"Don't tell me we got put on the same mission." Koyuki frowned. "Who do you work for?"

"I'm guessing you work for the agency." Dororo frowned, "Well then I can't give you the hit. I hate the agency. It'll be my kill."

Koyuki shook her head. It would not. She couldn't let someone else kill the guy! It was her job! She pulled a knife out of her boot, ready to fight.

The two dropped down from the ceiling, ready to battle in hand to hand combat. The guy pulled out his sword and the two clashed.

They were both tough. It might be the fight of their life. They could kill each other.

"STOP!" Someone yelled, "This is the police! You have been found to violate several laws, fighting with weapons in a public gathering." The police officer grabbed both of them before they could do lasting damage, both of them cut up. "Off to jail with both you nut jobs."

"Well, this is different." Dororo admitted.

* * *

Their weapons were confiscated and they were thrown into a jail cell. Koyuki just sighed.

"I can't fail!" She yelled, "The agency will be so mad at me! My only purpose is to kill...What am I if I've failed?" She asked.

Dororo looked at her with pity as she paced around. "So you really are from the agency. And you've got no purpose except to kill..." He sighed. What a pity. "You won't have no purpose! He tried to reassure. You're very strong. Feel pride in your abilities. After all look at how much damage you did to me. I can't even walk, you nicked a tendon in my leg..." He winced in pain. "You're good."

Koyuki's eyes widened a little shocked. "T-thanks." She smiled a bit.

"I've failed too. I was supposed to be the best assassin. But you were on par with me." Dororo told her.

Koyuki bent down to look at his leg. "Want me to bandage this up?" She asked.

Dororo looked at her, "You'd do that? I just told you that I was an assassin. Your enemy."

"We're both prisoners now. It doesn't matter." Koyuki shrugged. She tore some cloth from her pant leg and tried to bandage his leg up. She had a pouch with herbs in it.

Dororo watched her. She was kind.

"I've failed already...So let's start over. Where are you from? You're an assassin like me...What's your name?" Koyuki asked with a bit of interest.

"Dororo." Dororo told her, "I'm from an organization a bit different from yours. It's called the underground. It exists as a sort of black market spy group in the shadows. You probably don't have the clearance level to have heard about it."

Koyuki looked a bit surprised. "My name's Koyuki." She greeted.

Dororo smiled.

Koyuki was very silent for a moment. "What's it like there? Is it like the agency? Do they make you kill a lot of people? Do you have any friends? How often do you go outside?"

"It's not like the agency. Our followers have freedom. We can leave as we want, and because of that we have loyalty. Family everywhere." Dororo told her, "Although we do do some bad things. We are in no way heroes. We don't con ourselves into thinking we are, like the agency does. We do what's necessary to create peace."

Koyuki looked interested.

"I go outside whenever I want. The forest is a wonderful place to mediate." Dororo smiled, "But I do not have many friends. Family, yes, but because of my different upbringing I'm a little isolated there, and...Easily forgotten." He pouted.

"You don't seem like the forgettable type. I don't think I could forget about you." Koyuki smiled, "It sounds kind of nice. I have no family, but I do have one friend. She's another agent like me. I...I don't get to go outside though. I'd love to see a forest. Smell the trees."

"The flowers. Smell the flowers." Dororo corrected. He felt sorry for her. She was such a nice girl. He sighed. "You can have the assassination when we get out of here. I'll give you the hit and let you win, on a few conditions."

"What?" Koyuki asked.

"Remember my name. But do not tell anyone about me." Dororo told her, "Remember me, and let me be your friend in your heart."

Koyuki looked into his eyes. "I swear on my life. I will remember you."

Dororo knew she was telling the truth. She was quite kind.

* * *

After they escaped, Dororo made it his personal mission to free Koyuki from the mental binds that the agency had put on her that she had to be loyal. That she was a tool.

On her missions he would shadow her and sometimes take her to the forest to meditate with him afterward. They taught each other moves and he told her about his time in the agency.

It was their secret. The waterfall where they met was their secret haven. Dororo was her secret, and she was his.

He tried to convince her that the agency was evil, to leave, that he could help free her. But it took years to talk her through the inhumane things they had done to her. To get her to realize wrong things were happening.

By the time he had convinced her to hate them with a passion she had met Natsumi. She vented about the agency constantly.

"I want a family. I want freedom. I don't want to be here anymore, Dororo." She told him, glad he had helped her finish her mission quickly. They painted each others nails.

Her conditioning was gone, and she was even giving him small secrets of the agency's to help his organization.

"Then let me help you. Lady Koyuki you are my best friend. We've known each other for years. Let me free you from the agency, come join me in the underground. We'd be happy to have you. You'd have a home there everyone would love to welcome you as part of our family." Dororo told her.

Koyuki opened her mouth for a moment. This was the first time Dororo had pushed her into an offer of leaving. She knew he wanted her to leave, to help her, but she also knew he knew she wasn't ready to throw away the threads of loyalty that she had because of abuse. "I want to leave." She told him, "But not now."

"Why not?" Dororo asked, "I thought you felt nothing for them any longer."

"Because to be a true member of the underground I need to be a good spy. Let me be your agency on the inside, at least until you've destroyed them. I can help you guys. Bring me to the underground. Introduce me to them, I'll be your inside agent. And when we've beaten the agency then I'll fully be free." Koyuki suggested.

Dororo nodded. He would have put his plan to destroy the agency on hold for her safety but if she wanted to help he would let her.

"All right. They'll love you." And he took her with him.

She was so happy to be home when she was brought back to the lair. "Welcome home, Koyuki. For the first time." Dororo smiled.

She hugged him.

* * *

There was only one way to defeat the agency. And it was to destroy the heads. The agency wouldn't be evil any longer or recover from it. The three heads had created this place and it would burn after they were gone.

Dororo had only seen them through holograms. But he would find them.

"For Koyuki, for Pururu...For everybody." He vowed.

* * *

 **One of my goals in this story was to write more Koyuki. And I've done that okay-ish. But Dororo kind of got jilted like usual in my stories. Even in his big flashbacks I couldn't bring myself to write too much for him and Koyuki.**

 **Which is sad because I do ship Dorokoyu, it's just I need to get better at writing it.**

 **The scene could have been cool, two rival spies fighting. I'm so sorry Dororo.**

 **Please review.**


	15. Lesser Evil

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

 **There is a minor sex scene, but it is skipped with a scene change. To keep the T rating. Sorry!**

 **Short chapter.**

 **And my bad, the next chapter will wrap things up with the final chapter being an epilogue. I do love my epilogue's.**

* * *

Keroro was thrown into the same cell as Natsumi.

Natsumi tried to bang at the door to get her freedom. "Stupid frog! Don't just slump over! We can't just let Koyuki destroy everything!" She knew she had been mad at the agency for a while. But they were still the place she had devoted herself too.

She was a spy. An agent. And she would fight off their enemies.

"There's nothing I can do, Natsumi." Keroro told her. "I have no plans. No anything. Dororo's in the right. Koyuki's in the right. You should have let her kill me. You know that you wanted to. I'm responsible for Mois's death after all."

Natsumi looked at him and saw the weakness in his eyes. She grabbed his shirt collar and brought him up to look at him. "You didn't want it to happen, did you?"

"She was like a niece to me. I was there throughout the whole experiments. I've been her only family ever since she came here. I wanted to protect her, I wanted to protect all of you. But just like my team you all fell apart. I killed Pururu letting them put her out of her misery and I killed Mois not throwing Saburo down and disobeying his orders." Keroro curled up into a ball. "I deserve to die. You know that, that's why you didn't speak to me for a month. Why you hate me."

Natsumi looked at him with such pity. She couldn't really hate something so pathetic. "All along, for our team it was just us four. That's what I thought." She sat next to him, "But you were just as much a part of our team as we were. You were our mentor, the person in charge of our missions. You didn't want any of us to die."

"I vowed to protect you." Keroro told her, "But I failed. I failed spectacularly. I've been incompetent throughout my whole life but this was by far the worst thing I've done. I didn't realize Koyuki hated us and was being mistreated by everyone- myself included. She left you guys before Mois even died. And then I let Mois explode." Keroro was crying. "Now there's not even four of you left. Just two lost girls. And with my track record I can't even protect you and Momoka."

"We aren't a team any more." Natsumi told him, "We're our own people. And we were dealing with the loss of Mois in our own way. But we don't have time to grieve anymore. We have to stop Dororo. When someone attacks your home you don't just let them attack. You've always been mission control. Do you know how to stop him?"

Keroro looked up at the bars on the door. "No. And I have no ideas on how to even get out of this cell."

Natsumi sighed. Neither did she. So that made two of them.

She didn't like waiting around. But she doubted someone would come in to rescue them either.

* * *

Momoka was put into a cell with Tamama.

"I wonder how Keroro is doing. He was really sad when Natchi and you left, you know." Tamama told her.

Momoka just sat on the cold floor. "If the agency is defeated and dismantled I wonder what will happen to the Nishizawa empire. We work together after all." Would the Nishizawa's be blamed for funding the agency? Or would the Nishizawa's move their money to the underground.

She didn't know. But she was afraid of the change that would happen.

"I don't want to fight Koyuki, but my future is invested here." Momoka pulled up her sleeves.

"I don't think I can get the door open. It'll take someone using a key from the outside." Tamama told her.

 _If only Fuyuki were here. I know I've been ignoring him lately, but..._ Momoka sighed. _If he came in like a prince and saved me that would be so amazing! But that's not like Fuyuki. He doesn't deal with any of this agency stuff._

There was a knock on the cell door. A key turned and the door opened. A small boy in a hat and black uniform smiled as he opened the door. It was a generic janitorial disguise.

"Momoka!" Fuyuki smiled, "I came to get you!"

Momoka cried tears of happiness. _I'm sorry for doubting you fantasies!_

She threw her arms around Fuyuki. "But...But how?"

"Yeah. That was what I was wondering..." Tamama frowned, "You don't even work here! How'd you know we were in trouble and sneak in?"

"Oh. Easy. I know about the underground and their plans. I mean it's pretty easy to look up all sorts of government conspiracies and to guess their next moves. Today seemed like the day they'd attack you and Koyuki wouldn't kill any of you. She'd probably lock you up. So I used a disguise and easily sneaked in-" Fuyuki explained.

Momoka's eyes widened. Fuyuki really was a prodigy. No wonder the agency kept trying to get him to join. He was so smart and able to predict these things so easily. "But why didn't you tell anyone? If you knew about the underground and their plots all along why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Oh. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time." Fuyuki scratched his head. "I was too busy looking up alien things. They seemed cooler. But I was worried about you Momoka. You and sis had been talking so little and I haven't seen you much in the last month." Fuyuki frowned.

"Sorry, I was...I was grieving. But I'm here now, Fuyuki." Momoka told him. "Thank you for saving me."

Fuyuki smiled, super proud that Momoka was praising him and feeling happy she was talking to him again. "I missed you."

"All right, enough of this. Let's save Keroro and Natsumi." Tamama hissed as Momoka and Fuyuki gazed lovingly into each others eyes.

Momoka nodded.

* * *

They easily found Keroro and Natsumi, and managed to pick up Saburo on the way. Sneaking out of the agency was easy.

Natsumi didn't much like traveling with Saburo, but unhappily did it anyway.

"So where to now? We can't plot on what to do in the agency. It's flooded with the underground's forces." Keroro pointed out.

Natsumi thought for a moment. "Giroro's place! They let him go free and won't be looking there. We can hide out there while we plot what to do."

Keroro nodded. Luckily he still knew where Giroro lived, in Garuru's old house.

Giroro opened the door with his cat in his arms.

* * *

"About time you bozo's broke free. I was expecting you ten minutes ago." Giroro told them.

"You could have helped, you know." Keroro frowned.

"Dororo and I are evenly matched. With his added forces he would easily beat me." Giroro explained, "It wouldn't have helped if I tried to break you guys out. I had enough faith that you'd do it on your own. I assume you want someplace to hide out?"

Natsumi nodded. "Please?" She asked.

"Of course. Just don't knock over any of my brother's things. I don't want to move them. And this is his place." Giroro ordered.

Natsumi frowned for a moment pitying him.

"I suppose Keroro and I should plan how to beat the underground then..." Saburo said.

"Oh no, not you, pretty boy." Giroro put a hand up. "Didn't you kill that girl, Mois? You made Natsumi cry. So you don't get to stay here."

Saburo frowned. "I did it for the good of everyone!"

Natsumi just glared at him. "Sorry. It's Giroro's house so he makes the rules." She didn't pity Saburo at all. In fact she really, really hated him right now. And that would never change.

The old crush that she used to have on him was gone. She only despised him for what he did to Mois. Seeing his face reminded her too much of her old friend. So she turned away.

Saburo left to go find an inn.

And they all went inside to disperse and do their own thing and plan.

* * *

Keroro was supposed to be mission control. But he had no plan. He just drew on a little piece of paper trying to figure out what they were supposed to do. Sometimes he would cry pathetically or play with his pencil lead. Or just slam his face into the table repeatedly.

Natsumi watched him sometimes.

"Koyuki said the agency was evil." Natsumi finally spoke. Keroro turned around.

"Yeah. She did." Keroro agreed. It was a fact.

"I used to idolize the agency. Before the whole...Mois thing." Natsumi admitted. "But your friend died because of a mission too. You didn't blame the agency. You kept your loyalty. So they aren't evil?"

"The ideals of the agency isn't evil. Saving people, keeping the country safe. That's our job. We're in the right and we were made to be heroes." Keroro said with certainty.

Those sort of words were what had brought Natsumi to the agency in the first place. They calmed her and made her smile.

"But..." Keroro continued. "The people in charge, the three heads, might...Might be a little evil. What they did to Koyuki, Mois, was terrible. No question."

"Then...What are you going to do? You can't follow something right if the people who are leading it are evil." Natsumi pointed out. "That's what Mois taught 966. A world ruled by him would be just as awful as a corrupt world."

"I was raised to someday be in charge of the agency. That's why I have clearance to all of their secrets. So I just have to wait until I can reform it." Keroro told her. He went back to the paper trying to figure out how to beat Dororo.

Giroro, who was listening into their conversation, finally clued in. "It doesn't matter how bad the agency is, what matters is that Dororo's group is worse. If he were to take over the country all sorts of people would be in danger since they are in part a mercenary group working for the highest bidder." Giroro was gruff. "I hate to say it's a situation of choosing the lesser evil, but it is. And we can not afford to let Dororo win. I've heard about the underground. They kill more people than the agency does, although their members don't risk as much personal rights being violated. I did hear a case though when I was looking into joining them about some guy being maimed so badly that he became a cyborg, got in a fight with a different member or something. Doesn't seem too safe."

"Then you'll fight with us?" Keroro asked.

Giroro nodded, "Dororo's my friend. But...I can't let him win. I don't want to kill him, but if it comes down to it..." He shook his head, "I don't want to think about it."

Keroro smiled. He looked at the paper as if he finally had a plan, "We're just going to have to fight like our lives depend on it." He stood up, "Everyone, I know what to do!" He announced. There was a sparkle in his eye. A sparkle of hope as if he knew that they would win. "Tomorrow, we're going straight back to our agency and fighting. Each of us brings unique skills to the table. Giroro is a weapons master, Tamama a martial arts expert, Natsumi, strong and charismatic, Saburo, who is not here is an expert agent, Momoka is super strong, and Fuyuki's smart. Together we can band together and beat Dororo and Koyuki. We have to fight. For all the memories the agency has given us. For our old friends, Pururu, Garuru, Mois." Keroro smiled, "Because I know how to solve all our problems. And it all depends on fighting Dororo with our all."

"We might die." Giroro reminded.

"We don't have to fight to kill. Dororo and Koyuki are our old friends too. But we have to fight with are all. I believe in each of us. I know we're strong enough to beat them." Keroro's words were filled with hope so charismatic that even Natsumi believed he was the perfect leader.

 _We can do this._ She realized. _We can do it!_ She smiled.

Everybody was smiling.

"I want us all to get some good rest, guys. Because if we do lose...Well, we've lost everything. So enjoy this night like it's your last. And put your all into fighting tomorrow." Keroro smiled.

They all nodded. They believed in his words. Keroro turned away and smiled.

They were nowhere near Dororo's level. And he knew it. _I hope they took the bait._ A scheming and manipulative smile crossed his lips while they weren't looking.

Everything would be solved tomorrow.

* * *

"You know, joining this agency has been a weird adventure. Training you all- you and Natchi I mean, it's been fun." Tamama made sure not to mention Mois or Koyuki to Momoka. "I enjoyed meeting you. It was fun getting to know you. I'm glad we could become friends."

"Me too, Tamama." Momoka smiled. Fuyuki started walking up to them. She blushed.

"If it's our last night alive, you should go for it. Tell him how you feel before it's too late. You got this!" Tamama cheered her on.

Momoka blushed. Tamama was right. She needed to take the chance. Tamama zipped out of there so that she could talk to Fuyuki.

"F-fuyuki...Thanks for helping us." Momoka blushed.

"No problem." Fuyuki told her.

"Ummm...Fuyuki, I wanted to tell you something." Momoka was shuffling her feet. "In case it's our last night alive, I wanted to, you know..."

Fuyuki just blinked at her. "Look for aliens?"

"No!" Momoka tried not to be mad at his density.

"Hmmm...Talk about the pyramids?" Fuyuki asked.

Momoka's eyes twitched.

"Do it? What, but we're too young!" Fuyuki pointed out.

"I...I didn't even suggest that!" For once Fuyuki's mind had been more in the gutter than hers. Momoka was so surprised. "I...I wanted to tell you that I like you! I've had a big crush on you since I met you!"

Fuyuki's face was red. "Really?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Oh." He was kind of disappointed about how easy to know that was. He hadn't known it, but he had expected Momoka's thing to be bigger. "I think you're pretty cute too!"

Momoka smiled. "So..After this is all done, do you want to, like...Date?" She asked.

Fuyuki nodded eagerly. "I'm sure it'll go fine. You really should have told me sooner."

Momoka sighed. "I know. I was just so shy."

Fuyuki giggled. She was cute. He gave her a peck on the cheek.

* * *

Natsumi was alone with Giroro, looking out the window of his house.

"You know, I changed sides from being a villain to being with this band for you, Natsumi." Giroro confessed. "I was seduced by you like in all those bad spy movies."

"Good spy movies you mean." Natsumi corrected, rolling her eyes at how he was talking about how he was seduced by her.

"But my loyalties do not lie with the agency at all. I do not want to die defending them. My loyalties lie with you." Giroro told her, "I know it would be bad for Dororo to win, but...What I'm saying is if you're afraid of dying, or of Momoka dying and you ditch out of this fight I'll go with you. So it's all your choice."

"That's a lot of pressure to put on me. If our lives are put in danger or not. But I can't decide for Momoka. And I have a duty to fight Koyuki." Natsumi told him.

"I know. But it's okay to be scared. If you want to just run away from all this...You can. You don't have to be a tough spy right now. In all the spy movies in all the manuals, they never include an option of the spy running off and being safe not having to deal with traumatic events or damage or risking their life and just focusing on their mental well being and healing. But that should be an option. There is nothing cowardly about focusing on you over them. Maybe you need to get away..." Giroro tried to tell her, she wasn't at a safe mental place to fight.

"Be quiet, Giroro. I'm not going to run." Natsumi said harshly, looking out the window. "If I die then at least I'll be with Mois."

"And I'm telling you that's not a safe way to think. Perhaps you should worry more about healing yourself instead of saving the world and the agency." Giroro tried to advise.

"I've made up my mind. I need to see Koyuki. I need to talk to her, to make sure the underground doesn't kill anyone." Natsumi told him, "You said it yourself. It would be bad if they took over. And I'm a spy. I save the world. I'm Summer."

Giroro sighed. She was stubborn. She always was. "Fine. Is there anything I can do for you, to make this night less stressful for you? To make you focus on something besides the battle tomorrow? I could make you some sweet potatoes." Giroro offered.

Natsumi looked out the window blankly. She thought for a moment. "There is something you could do, I suppose, that would take my mind off of things for a moment. The grief, the fight, everything."

"...A tattoo?" Giroro tried to guess.

"W-what? No! Why would you even think that?" Natsumi was so confused. She squinted at his scar. Totally a tattoo wasn't it?

"Well then, what?" Giroro asked.

"You have a big crush on me, right, Giroro?" Natsumi asked.

"W-what? What are you talking about?" Giroro just blushed and stuttered. Natsumi giggled for a short moment. "What gave it away?"

"Everything. You keep saying that you're seduced by me and muttering under your breath how much you like me." Natsumi reminded.

Giroro's head sagged in defeat. He nodded.

"You're pretty cute." Natsumi decided. "And I need to release some stress. So...Sleep with me. That's my request."

Giroro's eyes bulged for a moment. This behavior definitely wasn't healthy.

"We'll talk about it after this is all done. How I'm doing and anything else. We'll talk. I'll work on my mental state. But I need this now, so..." Natsumi just looked so sad.

"Fine." Giroro agreed in a sigh. He didn't know what to do, but maybe helping Natsumi in little ways would help her.

He took her to his room.

* * *

 _This isn't healthy at all. She isn't healthy. But I can't decide for her if she's going into battle or not._ Giroro reminded himself after the deed was done. He had been gentle, tried to help and for a few moments she had seemed to be herself, but he knew she desperately needed mental health.

After this battle was done they'd have their talk and he'd desperately try to steer her into counseling.

"I'm afraid." Natsumi admitted, holding Giroro's arm. "Are you afraid?"

"Of dying?" Giroro asked.

"No. Of fighting them. I don't want to kill Koyuki. To lose another member of my team. Even if she's my enemy I don't want her to be hurt." Natsumi told him, "Is that the same for you and Dororo?"

Giroro sighed. "He's my friend and because of that I trust his skill. We might not see eye to eye always but I'm not afraid. If he dies it'll be because he fought for something he believed in desperately. It will be an honorable death."

"But Koyuki...I'm her leader. I was supposed to be Momoka, Mois and her leader. I'm supposed to protect them. But I couldn't protect Mois. And now I might not be able to protect Koyuki too." Natsumi sighed. "And what if Momoka dies? She's also my friend. What would I do then?" She was panicking.

Giroro stroked her hair. "I can't begin to understand how you feel. Our personalities might be similar Natsumi, but we had very different jobs on our four person teams. And our leader was Keroro. He was the one who had those worries." He got up. "Get dressed. I'm going to take you to him. He would be better help about this than I am."

Natsumi nodded. Perhaps Giroro was right.

* * *

Giroro dropped Natsumi off in front of Keroro. The lights were off and only Keroro was awake, still planning things.

"Talk to Natsumi about how she can protect Koyuki and Momoka." Giroro ordered.

Keroro put his pen down. He looked up at Natsumi. She looked so much different than the person who yelled at him all the time. She looked fearful- like he had in the moments after Pururu had died. He knew the grief, the trauma well.

"They won't die." Keroro told her.

"How do you know?" Natsumi asked.

"Because they're strong. Just like my team. You're not responsible for them anymore. You've got to let them go. They're your friends, but you have to trust them with your back too. Let them off of your shoulders." Keroro told her, "Momoka will be safe. She's so tough. Like Giroro. And Koyuki? Nobody will kill her. We all care about her too." He reassured. "Worry about yourself, that's what you'll have to think about in the battle."

"How long did it take you to figure that out, stupid frog?" Natsumi teased.

"Ten years." Keroro said honestly, "But you've always been smarter than me. You have to focus on you. Because every little piece of yourself you give away will kill you, until you're grieving so much that you blame yourself for everything. But you have to remember you're important too. People would miss you if you died too. You just don't think about it because you're the leader."

Natsumi nodded. Koyuki still cared about her. She knew that. And Momoka...They only had each other now.

"Thanks." She smiled. "Thanks both of you." She smiled at Giroro and Keroro.

Giroro nodded. He was glad Keroro could finally make her feel better.

* * *

 **Please review. Sorry for the sad Gironatsu.**


	16. Final Battle

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 **The final battle. Next chapter will be the epilogue of how everybody's doing and will wrap things up.**

* * *

Natsumi took a deep breath as she looked at the outside of the agency, what looked like a small bus station but was actually an elevator to the basement levels.

"So, we're all in agreement of what we're going to do?" Keroro asked.

"I haven't been told the plan yet." Saburo reminded.

"Giroro will distract Dororo, since they're about evenly matched. You, Saburo will go release the other agents. Fuyuki, you stay out of danger. Tamama, you'll-"

"Be adorable? On it. Easy." Tamama smiled.

"No, I was going to say cover Momoka. You're going to have to fight that weird cyborg ninja." Keroro told him, "Stay safe okay? Your life insurance plan hasn't been finalized yet."

Tamama started crying. That was all Keroro was worried about? "No confessions of love for me? Even though I'm so darn cute? Come on! Fukki and Momocchi got together! What about me?"

"We don't really have time for that." Keroro said simply. Tamama pouted and glared at him. "...Maybe later?"

"It better be later instead of never or else you won't have to wait for the ninjas to beat you. It'll be me." Tamama hissed.

Keroro gulped. "Anyway, I'll go and warn the heads since I know where they're located, and Natsumi. You will fight Koyuki."

Natsumi nodded. She was ready. She had to face the person who had started all of her misery. The person who had betrayed the agency, aided 966, and made More Peach Summer Snow fall apart.

She had to confront Koyuki.

Everybody nodded and went forward into the agency.

* * *

Giroro was the one who walked in first, shooting up the walls and everything.

"I won't let you win, Dororo. The underground won't take over this country." He proclaimed. "Fight me or you'll never be able to defeat the heads."

Dororo pulled out his sword majestically and gave his friend a nod. "So, you chose them after all. I thought you understood the evils of the agency. I suppose I was wrong. I will fight you, Giroro, but I think you'll be surprised to learn that I've changed since you last fought me. The underground has taught me arts that the agency never could, and I've grown more experienced than you."

"Oh yeah? Well 966- He taught me..." Giroro frowned for a moment. What had he learned while serving 966? "Endurance. I have very strong resilience." He decided. That was very true. Way too true.

"Oh? Well lets see who wins this battle then? Experience or endurance?" Dororo asked. He rushed at Giroro.

Giroro grinned. It was an all or nothing battle. And because of Keroro's speech he knew it would be him who won.

* * *

Natsumi found Koyuki around the dorm rooms. She was still looking for clues of where the three heads were hiding.

"Natsumi." Koyuki looked up from Mois's old room. Her things had already been vacated.

"So this is where we'll fight." Natsumi realized, "Koyuki...Why? Why did you leave us? If you had stayed here...Not helped 966...We could have beaten him sooner. Mois might still be alive."

"I don't want to fight you. But for mine and Dororo's goal I will." Koyuki pulled out two blades, in either hand. Natsumi grabbed her laser sword, a weapon she hadn't had much luck with before in any of her fights with Kululu.

"I don't want to hurt you. But you hurt me so badly." Natsumi told her. "But deep down I still care for you."

"Then don't hurt me. Join me, Natsumi." Koyuki said simply dropping her guard. Natsumi swung her sword in front of her, singing her blades a bit so that they were much warmer.

"Never. The underground is evil. And even if it wasn't I can't stand traitors." Natsumi told her.

Koyuki looked hurt, "I did what I had to do! I had no idea how bad things really were in the agency. Admittedly I should have plotted, thought things through more to free you, Momoka and Mois too...But I needed to be free. I made a mistake thinking about myself first. I'm sorry." Koyuki begged.

Natsumi swung again. Koyuki's block was strong but it was only melting her knives. "Don't apologize to me! Apologize to Mois!"

"She isn't dead because of me! She's dead because of them!" Koyuki reminded, "I didn't press that button. I didn't kill her. The agency did."  
"But you could have prevented it. If 966 wasn't as big of a threat as he was, if he hadn't beaten us so many times...You helped him beat us by giving him information about the agency..." Natsumi reminded, "It's their fault and your fault, Koyuki."

Koyuki didn't lose her grip on the knives even though they were burning her hands, but Natsumi's anger was stronger than hers. She was sent backwards, losing her footing and falling to the ground, flat on her butt.

Koyuki let out a stifled sob. The cry of her former best friend's pain took Natsumi out of her anger filled daze.

"Koyuki...Are you okay?" She had never wanted to hurt her. She just wanted to beat her. She was mad but she hadn't wanted to do any lasting damage. What if her legs were broken or something.

Koyuki continued crying, cradling her leg. She hadn't let go of her burning knives. Natsumi approached her to inspect her.

Koyuki flung her knife up at Natsumi's cheek drawing blood. She had faked her out.

"AHH!" Natsumi screamed.

"Sorry, Natsumi. You're my best friend. I'll always care about you but it was not my fault. It was solely theirs. Running away from an abusive situation into a safer one isn't my fault. And my new family, the underground has treated me very well. I am going to destroy the agency not for them, but for us. It's my plan too. And for that I need to defeat you." Koyuki took a stance as Natsumi cradled her cheek. "Let's agree to put the not hurting each other aside, for one battle. We're friends, but...Right now you are an obstacle."

"I don't want to hurt you. You're part of More Peach Summer Snow just as much as I am." Natsumi told her.

"That team was just a tool for the agency! I'm not Snow! I'm Koyuki! Koyuki Azumaya!" Koyuki proudly proclaimed.

Natsumi gritted her teeth. Koyuki wouldn't listen to reason. But from the wound on her cheek that would likely leave a scar she had dropped her laser sword.

She was so hurt. So damaged. But she would continue fighting until her very last breath. She would make Koyuki see reason.

She couldn't charging at Koyuki, anger filling her body with strength. But Koyuki had more skill than her, she always had. And when once she had used that skill to defend her friend, she kept using it to toss her to the floor.

Natsumi was losing. _I can't lose. The stupid frog's depending on me. He had faith in all of us._ Natsumi remembered. What could she do?

Nothing.

She tried not to black out.

* * *

Momoka and Tamama faced the weird cyborg.

"Easy pickings." The cyborg smiled, flexing his robotic hand.

Momoka heard a scream in the background. It was Natsumi's.

"Momocchi. Go after Natchi. I can handle him." Tamama promised her, "And even if I can't, I can distract him long enough."

Momoka nodded. "You sure?"

"Yeah." Tamama nodded.

Momoka smiled. At one point there had been a team of four. She had desperately wanted to lead them thinking it was her right. But Natsumi had won that position instead of her and although at first she had been mad she had learned to forgive her.

Momoka had then watched after that her friends drift off one by one, until it was just the two leaders left. Peach and Summer.

And no way was she letting Natsumi be taken away. She had realized long ago that Natsumi was the right choice for leader. She was someone she looked up to. Like a big sister.

 _I'll save you._ Momoka vowed. And she ran off.

"So you think you can beat me, huh?" Zoruru told Tamama.

"Yep. After all look how cute I am! Okay, distraction idea 1. Stand up comedy!" Tamama smiled.

Zoruru just blinked. This was his opponent?

He was going to wreck him.

* * *

"Koyuki." Momoka walked into the room where Natsumi and Koyuki fought. The wallpaper and walls were scratched up from their battle. Any remaining furniture was in disarray.

"Momoka." Koyuki nodded. "I...I suppose you're here to yell at me too?"

Momoka looked at her. She helped Natsumi onto her feet. "I'm here, Natsumi. You don't have to do everything alone. We're a team after all. And sometimes a two person team is much better than just one, no matter how strong that one is."

Natsumi grunted, "T-thanks." She was surprised Momoka had come to save her. "But Koyuki is my battle."

"Ours. Our battle." Momoka corrected.

"She has weapons!" Natsumi told her, "I can't let you get hurt." Her body was already beaten and bruised. She couldn't protect Momoka.

"And I have strength. And I'm not going to let anyone hurt my friend." Momoka smiled sweetly at Natsumi and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes for a moment as if she was meditating.

Koyuki stood there, waiting. She didn't really want to hurt either of them without reason. After a few breaths, Momoka's hair spiked as if it was iron.

With no weapons, armor, or anything, Momoka hissed and picked up the broken bed. "KOYUKI! GIVE UP NOW OR I'LL BE FORCED TO HARM YOU!"

Koyuki was surprised by Momoka's strength. But she always had been. "I can't give up. Not now. Not ever."

Momoka nodded and threw the bed at her. Koyuki twirled and dodged and Momoka rushed at her. From either side Natsumi and Momoka double-teamed Koyuki and although she could dodge sometimes, sometimes she missed.

And eventually Koyuki was deep in the wall, pressed into it by Momoka. She gritted her teeth, trying not to cry.

"D-don't take me back there. To the agency. If you've beaten me, kill me. I never want to go back." Koyuki begged.

"No." Momoka and Natsumi both said,

"You're a member of our team and our former friend. And we'll never kill you." Natsumi said.

"If you've really lost, I suggest to run." Momoka told her, "We won't force you to go back. I had no idea the imprisonment you felt. So run."

Koyuki nodded. Momoka helped her up so she could limp. Natsumi slunk down onto the floor to breathe. She had won.

They had won over Koyuki.

"Oh no..." Momoka realized, once she had gotten out of the dorm rooms. Momoka and Natsumi had won their fight but ninja were everywhere.

The rest...Hadn't won there's. Giroro was on the floor bruised and collapsed. Dororo was much more experienced than him.

Everybody had been beaten. Dororo was missing looking for the heads.

Had they lost? Or was there still hope that he hadn't found them.

* * *

Keroro was at a small hatch near the restrooms, coming out.

"You warned the heads of my arrival, didn't you?" Dororo asked, "So that was where the secret door to their hideout was." He smiled, "Clever."

"You don't know if I made it here before you did or if they're out yet. But I suppose I could distract you so they could run off. The agency would survive through them. And since you only know their silhouettes through holograms you'd never be able to find them." Keroro smiled.

Dororo's hand flew towards Keroro's throat, pushing him against the wall. Keroro choked.

"I was so close!" Dororo told him. "I could have avenged all of this. Ended this vicious agency!"

"But you might still lose, and it's all because you didn't do things fast enough." Keroro gasped out.

"But then what would you win, Keroro? The underground would still flood this office. Our ninja might kill the agents we deem too cruel instead of just three in charge." Dororo tried to negotiate. He let Keroro down to gasp.

Keroro looked scared. "Don't kill them. Please." He begged.

"Then let me through." Dororo told him, "And I promise not to harm you, or anyone important to you."

Keroro looked down, gulping. They'd all lose. "Don't harm Momoka or Natsumi or any of my team. Don't harm anyone else. And...And I suppose I'll let you through. Maybe the three have already fled, who knows?" Keroro asked. They were going to lose if he let Dororo through.

Dororo smiled. "Okay. You made the right choice, Keroro-"

Saburo came out nowhere. "You can't let him win! We've fought so hard!" He went straight to Dororo to attack him and Dororo slammed him into the ground.

Dororo sighed, "Now where were we? Oh yes, I was threatening you." He walked past Keroro, "It was all a ruse you know. I would never kill innocents. I would never have killed them. I only kill evil. Thank you for letting me through though." He smiled and waved and opened the door as if he had won.

Keroro smiled. _Jokes on him. I didn't warn them at all. I led him to their door. Their lair. Now it's pretty much confirmed he'll kill them. But he thinks that will end the agency? What an idiot. I knew we couldn't win this fight, but the underground's views are too narrow. Kill the heads you beat the agency. That's how a video game works. Final boss equals winning._

 _But real life organizations have people who will take their place. I've been trained all my life to take their place once they die. And...I agree with Dororo that they're corrupt. But I can't do anything about it._

 _But I'm not letting them experiment on any more little girls. There will never be a Pururu or Mois again. Not under me._

 _I'll make things right. The agency will live. Under me. I just had to be a bit under-handed and get Dororo to do my dirty work. Too bad everybody's going to think we've lost now._

Keroro smiled to himself. They had won. Losing was winning.

The agency could be reformed.

* * *

Dororo walked down some spiral staircase to some sort of lair. He had his sword drawn as he looked desperately for the heads.

He had always imagined what they would look like when he was a kid. Huge, tough, something scary.

But once he found them playing checkers he realized they didn't look anything like that.

One was frail, skinny and tall. His beard and eyebrows long. The other one did have big muscles but he could barely get up out of his wheelchair, and the third was just tiny and short with a small staff.

The three men who had done such evil were just small frail old men. Old age had taken them.

"Ah...Zeroro...How you've grown. I suppose turning you into a cold blooded assassin worked a bit too well, huh?" They laughed.

"You caused all of this. Yet, you're so weak." Dororo realized.

"Yes. We weren't so much in our younger days, but age has taken us like it takes everything." They agreed, "Are you going to kill us?" They asked.

"Are you afraid?" Dororo asked.

"Yes. Once you get older and have more power you get more and more afraid. We could give you anything not to kill us, but I doubt we could give you back your childhood and your lost friend." One of them told him wisely. "But killing us won't do any good. There will always be others who wish to do what we did. I wouldn't be surprised if those others were in your new agency the underground!"

Dororo shook in rage. They were trying to convince him out of it. "Your time has come. You are the symbols of the agency and so I will end you."

"We aren't the symbols of the agency. No, what the public knows is always the team that has the most accomplishments. And you've done a fine job of destroying that. Turning one traitor, another one happened to explode. We only have two members left. Who knows if they'll stay? One always does, though. That Natsumi will make a fine leader one day. She's always been a good spy." They laughed.

"Natsumi and Momoka won't turn out like you." Dororo sliced at one of them silencing their laughter. "Koyuki's friends are better than that."

Their laughter dimmed down as their heads rolled. The deed was done. The heads of the agency were gone.

* * *

Natsumi was in shock as she recuperated with her friends waiting for Dororo to come back with the news if the three heads had run off or not.

"They're dead." Dororo announced covered in their blood. "Come on underground! Let us leave this place. We'll deal with the spying in Japan from now on. Your agency is dead."

And he and the rest of the ninja left, except Koyuki who stood over Natsumi and Momoka.

"Your agency is left in shambles now." Koyuki told her, "So...It's over. We won." She smiled.

Natsumi didn't look at her.

"I hope now that this is all over there's a chance for us to be friends again. We're no longer enemies after all." She outstretched her hand.

"Koyuki..." Natsumi shook her head. "You'll always be my best friend in my heart." She told her.

Koyuki smiled.

"But you work with murderers. I...I can't stand by and watch that. I'm sorry, but I just won't be able to forgive you for betraying me. I think it's best if we don't meet again." Natsumi told her.

Koyuki's smile dropped and let her hand dangle by her side. She turned away. "Good-bye then...Natsumi." She rushed off, trying not to let Natsumi see that she was crying.

Giroro groaned. "We lost...Now the underground will surely take over the country. Ugh. I shouldn't have even helped. We lost no matter what we did!"

"Yeah. Our forces just weren't strong enough to take them." Keroro agreed.

"You idiot! You were the one who said we could take them!" Giroro reminded.

"I lied. Sorry guys." Keroro laughed, "All the underground did after all was take out the corrupt three heads of the agency. And the agency didn't live through them. It lived through their deeds. So why are we left in shambles? Why do we think we need them?"

"Because they were our leader." Saburo said simply.

"That's where your wrong. In the event they were to die, I was to take over the agency. So I am now in control. And the agency isn't dead." Keroro smiled, "And I'll reform it. There will be no more cases like Koyuki, Pururu or Mois. No more reason for this place to be corrupt."

"So...You planned to get rid of the top?" Momoka realized, "Smart." She could get behind that. "You have the Nishizawa support. After all whatever spy organization runs under the Japanese government will need our funds and support." Momoka grinned broadly. "Us Nishizawa's are more tenacious than some evil old guys. We'll reform this system with you."

Keroro outstretched his hand. "I'd love to work with you, Momoka."

"And someday I'll get Koyuki to rejoin us too. Once we're free and much better. We'll get the shadows of spying and the light, the agency and the underground to combine." Momoka smiled. "Anything is possible if you have enough money! And I do! Koyuki will come back someday."

Keroro smiled. He was so proud of Momoka. She was so smart already having plans and thinking things through.

"What about you, Natsumi? You're part of the team that was wronged? You too, Giroro, you were part of my old team. Do you want to join my new reformed agency?" Keroro asked.

"I would love to-" Giroro smiled, but glanced at Natsumi, "Wait to listen to what Natsumi wants!" He changed his mind.

"I..." She was silent for a moment. Bloody and bruised, her body didn't hurt nearly as much as her heart did. And no matter how reformed the agency was some of the people who had been responsible for Mois were still there. Her mother hadn't told her the secrets of the agency, Saburo had straight up killed her friend, and Keroro, although he regretted it, had known too.

"You know, when I was a kid I always dreamed of being a spy. Every day in this job of being part of More Peach Summer Snow, I loved it. I was like some action hero. There was no losing, only winning." Natsumi smiled remembering the good old days. "I kept on making mistake after mistake when it came to 966 because I believed good would triumph over evil. That I was good. That we were good."

"I idolized this place. This was my home. I had everything that a manual said I should have, I was a tough spy. The leader of a team of impressive girls. I had close friendships, a rivalry with my boss. A crush on a hot top agent. All of it. But it...It wasn't real. It wasn't right. The agency was keeping secrets and I was just being naive. And it would be stupid of me not to learn from my mistakes." She told him.

"I don't belong here. And more importantly I don't want to be here. I no longer see the agency as the all that. There not the greatest." Natsumi frowned.

"That story that you were telling me, Giroro. Where the spy leaves to recuperate and get better? To focus on them...That's what Koyuki did. And I saw her as a villain. Because she hurt me I'm going to continue seeing her as a villain because I can not forgive her. But...I'm going to do the same. I want to leave and get better. To try to process all the things I naively didn't stop." Natsumi decided.

"I'm leaving the agency. And I'm never coming back. I'm quitting." She never thought she'd say those words. But she did.

Giroro nodded. "Good choice."

Keroro smiled at her. That was a good choice in itself too. He had accepted if only one of them could stay, Momoka or Natsumi, that it would be Natsumi who did. But Natsumi left instead.

"Good-bye then, Natsumi. Thank you for your service." Keroro told her.

Natsumi nodded, smiling. Momoka hugged her.

It was all over. The agency, her life in More Peach Summer Snow. It was over.

* * *

 **I hope I gave Momoka enough scenes.**

 **Eeek, my fingers are cramping up. Ouch. But I really want to start and finish the next chapter.**

 **Anyway please review!**


	17. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything.**

* * *

 **Five Years Later**

It was five years since the battle at the agency when the three heads had been killed. Natsumi hadn't been back to the agency since.

She had tried to talk her mother into leaving too, that despite the agency being reformed it still stood for something evil and the crimes and atrocious it had committed couldn't be pardoned, but Aki wouldn't listen.

And eventually after highschool, Natsumi had left and gone to college drifting away from her brother and mother. Although she had promised to focus on her mental health, talk to Giroro about her stress and her well being she had instead run off to enroll in college, to be a normal student. After all normal-ness was something she had never wanted back in her teenage years, but something that Koyuki had desperately wanted and hadn't had the chance to have.

Now she wanted to live a normal life in Koyuki and Mois's place.

But from avoiding her stress and not dealing with it, she hadn't been able to do very well in school. She had dropped out after only a few months and been stuck trying to figure out what she wanted after that.

It had been three years before she had confronted her fears, and gone back to a life as a spy. But not under the agency. Instead she worked as a freelancer, being cool and working on her own terms, picking up missions she truly believed in.

"Natsumi, we've been hired for several different missions. I thought you could choose between them." Giroro suggested as she looked through some postcards to send to her brother across the country.

Giroro had been the only constant she really kept in touch with, besides Momoka and Fuyuki through letters. He had let her have a place to crash after she had dropped out of school, letting her live at his house. He had respected her space and although they had fought a lot about her getting the mental counseling she needed, he had tried to help her, doing exactly as he had wanted someone to do back when he had lost his friend.

When she had expressed interest in doing what she was meant to do- going back to being a warrior and spy, he had offered to be her partner in work. She hadn't been too keen on it and he had to prove himself in several battles against her, but eventually she had let him join her.

Now they were partners and despite Natsumi not admitting it most of the time she was very happy to have Giroro's constant support and not be alone.

She took the sheets of paper to look through. "A rescue mission in a different country? I didn't know we were being hired for such big jobs." She seemed surprised.

"You're talked about a lot as some sort of rogue freelance agent, fighting for good." Giroro shrugged, "People all over the world want your help. You're quite impressive. 100% success rate."

Natsumi peered from behind her sunglasses. She usually walked around on the streets in disguise since she refused to hide her face during missions. No more codename, no more secrets. She was Natsumi Hinata.

What harm could enemies do knowing her name? She didn't have a long-term home anymore. She traveled around in her sports car, and her only stable friend was Giroro. And Giroro could take care of himself. He didn't like having a codename either.

"And what about you? What are you known as?" Natsumi asked.

"Your boyfriend." Giroro told her.

"Ah, so you did get cut down to just my love interest." She teased. They might have been in a relationship, sure, but it was really an on-again-off again relationship. Usually they were stable and cared about each other, but sometimes they were enemies. Giroro still had a habit of working for super-villains that she'd sometimes get hired to kick the butt of. And unlike Mois, she didn't hold back against her boyfriend. Giroro got his butt kicked bad. And then she'd tease him for weeks.

So she preferred the term partners. Because although he was her hook up, her boyfriend, their relationship wasn't all the time romantic. But everyday they were partners. Life partners, battle partners, all sorts of things.

And that would never end.

More Peach Summer Snow was gone, but that didn't mean she had to be alone. Giroro would always be there for her. And her team had brought him to her.

"I still think villains are cooler than spies." Giroro told her.

Natsumi rolled her eyes. "I might not be a fan of spies that aren't just freelance agents like me, but villains are not cool!" She punched him lightly in the arm and laughed.

Freedom was very nice. Koyuki was right. She laughed as the wind tickled her cheeks and hair.

She was happy. It had taken years, but she was.

* * *

Momoka had done exactly what she had promised. Taking a more active role as the Nishizawa heiress instead of a spy, she kept to finances instead of field missions. Ruling a financial empire and the fine work systems under it.

And some of those fine systems were the agency and the underground. Enemies for decades, ever since the agency had existed. It had been hard to combine them.

But the underground worked primarily as a black market group, working for the highest bidder. So buying them out had been easy. Money ruled their hearts.

And once they were Momoka's she could do as she pleased with them.

"What do you plan to do with us? We can be your guards? Your assassins, anything? Working for the Nishizawas is an honorable job." Jirara had told her.

"I'm not going to make you do any of that." Momoka had told him, "Instead I've been working for the government to make what you do legal. You'll exist on government papers, you won't be underground. I'm going to combine yours and the agency's jobs make it so there will be no more unnecessary fighting between you." She had told him.

"...We'll need a very active hand in that. And we want a copy of all the laws that we have to follow." Jirara had told her, he didn't trust the government much either.

"Agreed. You will attend many political meetings as this is sorted out. And if they order you to do something wrong, you will report to me. You may be under them but your primary loyalty is still the Nishizawas. I want to know everything you are ordered to do." No more Mois's. She would know everything.

She was like a queen. A ruler. Momoka would take a handle of everything.

Jirara nodded. Momoka would make a fine ruler.

* * *

Fuyuki never did join the agency even though they wanted him to. They kept telling him he'd be a great spy. But he never listened.

"I told you. I'm going to be an astronomer!" He kept telling everyone. He knew enough about secret government agencies. He wanted to learn about space.

He helped out when needed when he could. After all, Momoka was a very active part of the agency. Sometimes he listened to her and advised her on the best choices.

But he had seen how they wrecked his sister. And he didn't want to be a part of that.

"How did you get better, Momoka?" He asked lying on a picnic blanket and talking to his girlfriend. "How did you recover from the things they did there?"

"Well, you can do a couple things when faced with evil and wrong. You can grieve and regret actions, like Natsumi did, or you can take control of the situation and make sure it never happens again." Momoka told him. "I'm going to make sure it never happens again. I might not have been the perfect leader when I was fifteen, but now...Now I've grown into the role. We have many new young girl agents, Tamama has been training them and none of them have been experimented on. All of them have freedom. No more violations of human rights."

Fuyuki hugged her. He was so proud of her.

* * *

Tamama of course stayed with the agency. He might not have been an agent as long as Momoka or Natsumi had been, but he liked being near Keroro.

He didn't like 966, he hadn't liked that woman. But he knew the reason he had been targeted was because of the bullying he did to Mois in his younger years.

He regretted it a bit. Being popular in highschool really wasn't that important in the long run. And he had grieved over her death.

It had been weird to not have a rival at school. Her locker was gone, she had been gone. But he had gotten over it.

Keroro had saved his life from 966 and that never changed. So he stayed by Keroro's side. His hero, his idol, his boss...And he was still working on the boyfriend thing.

Keroro was just so busy! Why couldn't he see that he should date him?

"How are the new recruits coming, Tamama?" Keroro asked. Despite not being his boyfriend yet, the young orphan girls that they had recruited to train were sort of like their daughters. Keroro let them call him dad and happily played parent with Tamama as Tamama trained them.

Tamama knew he loved them.

"Good! Good! They're all perfect! Don't worry, none got hurt." Tamama gave him the news.

"I...I brought toys from the toy store for them. Do you think they'll be pleased?" Keroro asked.

"You know they will. They love you as much as they love me." Tamama reassured him.

Keroro grinned.

* * *

Despite the agency and the underground now working together, Koyuki would never again rejoin. She and Dororo were both mad about what had happened.

"I want to eliminate them for good!" Dororo was angry.

"Then do it." Koyuki advised.

"I can't. Not with Keroro's reforms. He's so good...There's no reason to destroy them. They haven't done anything bad yet. And Keroro's my friend. I hate to say it but he really did beat me, he made it impossible for me to destroy the agency." Dororo hissed.

Koyuki sighed. She was glad that Dororo was still thinking of his friends. She wished that she could be thinking of her friends, but true to her promise Natsumi hadn't spoken to her. It had taken two years for Momoka to start speaking to her again and now they were on an uneasy level of friendship, they met every month for tea and had picnics sometimes.

She missed her old friends. She wondered if she could have done things differently.

"Natsumi will forgive you someday." Dororo tried to comfort her. "But...That day might not come until you're much older. When you two have children and they're living next to each other. Or in your old age."

"What about you and Keroro? You and Giroro? Will you ever meet them again?" Koyuki asked.

"I don't know." Dororo told her. "I wish. But I don't know if they'll forgive me for leaving them in their time of need either."

Koyuki nodded. She wished she could help her friend Dororo, maybe then she'd feel better about the Natsumi thing.

* * *

It was Momoka who had suggested it to Natsumi, to come back to the agency for Giroro to bring him to see Keroro. To let him finally heal from his trauma. She neglected to mention that Koyuki had planned the whole event, but Natsumi finally relented wanting to help Giroro.

Coming to where the agency was was much different than five years ago. It had been remodeled to be much bigger, much newer.

It looked much cleaner having windows and a garden.

Natsumi tugged at Giroro's hand and brought him to Momoka. "So..This party is to celebrate what...?"

"Friendship." Momoka smiled.

"If you just wanted to hang out with Natsumi why bring me?" Giroro asked. Natsumi put a blind fold on him.

"This is celebrating your friendship." She told him. She helped him into the back of the building where there was a garden.

Keroro and Dororo were waiting. Koyuki had brought Dororo to talk with Keroro, despite her promise to never come back to the agency she put that on hold to try to reunite Keroro and Dororo. Dororo was holding him and crying.

"Surprise!" Natsumi pulled off the blind fold.

"Keroro? Dororo?" Giroro asked. "What are you two doing here? Together?"

"We didn't know if you remembered. This is the anniversary of when our group was first formed. Koyuki suggested instead of mourning Pururu and the loss of our friendship to celebrate." Dororo told him, "I'm sorry for not speaking to you both for so long. I was only filled with anger."

Giroro put his hand up, "Me too. But the truth is we were so young-"

"We did the best that we could. And Pururu lived a long and happy life. She had many people that loved her. We can't just mourn her forever and split up ourselves." Keroro finished.

They all hugged and cried.

Natsumi smiled. She glanced at Koyuki. She had grown up into a fine warrior. "So you organized this? I thought you said you'd never come back here."

"Some things are worth it for a good friend. And Dororo's been there for me always." Koyuki answered. "I'm...I'm sorry for what I did. Betraying you."

Natsumi didn't speak. Instead she grabbed Momoka and Koyuki's hands. "Do you...Do you think her room is still here? Or did they blast it down when remodeling."  
"It's gone." Momoka told her, "But...When we built this garden, an anonymous tip in the underground-"

Koyuki looked at the ground, looking shy.

"Said we should make a grave here to remember her. I can take you to it if you want." Momoka offered.

Natsumi looked at Koyuki, "Is that all right with you?"

Koyuki nodded.

The three headed off to the grave.

* * *

 _Here lies Angol Mois, a victim, not a hero. And Kululu, definitely not a victim, but he lies here too._

Momoka looked sheepish. "We couldn't find any of their remains from the explosion. It was just ash, but his mask survived. It was made of pretty strong stuff. So we put that on the grave."

Natsumi bowed to the grave. "I miss you. I regret that I treated you so harshly because I thought you were the mole before you died. I guess that's in part why I was so mad at Koyuki." She apologized, "Because I missed precious time with you. If I had given you advise about Kululu at that time, would you have lived? I don't know. And it keeps me up at night."

She was about to cry. Koyuki didn't touch her. She knew she didn't deserve too. Momoka pat her head.

"I miss you as well. Things haven't been the same without you. We were whole together, but just missing one...Well, it's just not right. Even with Koyuki's betrayal you stayed positive, reassuring us she was still one of us. You tried to get us to understand, and empathized." Momoka bowed to the grave and left a flower on it.

Koyuki just started bawling. "You...You were always there during my imprisonment in the agency. I'm sorry for not helping you. You stayed positive while I was pessimistic, filled with hate, but you were unaware what they had done to you. I'm so sorry I didn't save you." Koyuki cried pressing her forehead against the grave.

Giroro heard the loud sobbing of the three girls. Keroro and Dororo did too. They approached the gravestone.

"Ah...That's their graves, huh?" Giroro noted, seeing the mask.

Natsumi nodded, huffing a bit.

"May I say my good-byes too?" Giroro asked.

"You didn't know her." Natsumi reminded.

"I knew him though." Giroro pointed out, "We were together for five years and I haven't given myself any time to mourn, mostly because he had a means to escape and chose to stay. Something which I admire. But...I guess I miss him too. I wasn't a very good surrogate big brother."

Natsumi moved aside so he could crouch down and say good-bye.

"Sorry for saying you couldn't love. Guess the joke was on me, huh?" Giroro laughed trying to stay tough. "What you did, in the end...It was admirable, I guess. And that's why I'm not mourning you. Because I'm proud of you. You made the right choice in the end. Thanks for protecting Natsumi's friend in the after life." He pat the stone.

Natsumi smiled from her tears. She had never seen a good side of 966 until now. But it was true. He had been there for Mois when the agency hadn't.

She gave a small nod of respect to the stone as if accepting Kululu too.

The three girls cried for a bit and Dororo made them flower crowns to try to cheer them up. He said a sort of funeral for their friend as well.

And soon they weren't crying but just talking all six of them about the good old days with Mois and Pururu and even Kululu.

They learned to remember the happiness instead of the bad times.

* * *

Natsumi visited her old home. Her old room. She looked at all the spy manuals, the spy stuff she had lying around.

 _Why was I so obsessed with spies? The agency?_ Natsumi wondered. She had learned a valuable lesson in the last five years. Something Giroro had lectured her on in their first meeting.

Good and evil weren't always black and white. There were always shades in between, reasons people were doing bad, and good sometimes wasn't just downright good.

So being obsessed with something and never questioning it was just downright stupid. _I should have always questioned orders. Always asked why. Looked for information, figured out why people were telling me to do things._

 _I should have looked into things. Like Fuyuki does._ Natsumi realized. The life of an agent, a spy wasn't for her. It was just like her spy manual said, to be a perfect spy you never questioned orders.

Saburo still followed things without question, doing exactly what the agency wanted. He was still the perfect agent, the perfect spy.

But that wasn't always good. That was actually never good.

 _I can't believe I was so into him. That ended quickly when I saw the real him. Someone who did things regardless of if they were good and bad and just if they were his orders._ Mois's death was still on him. And the saddest thing was that grief never haunted him. Because to him he had done what was right.

It had taken her years to get over it. But she was finally over it.

More Peach Summer Snow was dead. But she was alive. Summer would be endless.

And her smile, her desire to continue learning and growing. It was just beginning.

She would be herself. No more, no less. And no matter what new parts of herself there were she'd accept them.

And she'd fight.

She put on her sunglasses again. It was time to go back on a mission.

"Let's go, Giroro. I've been here long enough." Natsumi told him.

"The past is over." Giroro agreed. "Let's continue living in the now."

They smiled, bro-fisted and left.

Natsumi would never forget the valued bonds she had forged.

* * *

 **I finished this story in less than two weeks. Wow. 0-0. And then I neglected to post the end for three, four, or five months. SUCESS!**

 **Also, sorry that I made this instead of all the other stories I suggested and promised after Memory Sea. But now it is done and the sgt frog fanfiction has a spy au.**

 **Any other classic AUs that I haven't tackled that you feel like the sgt frog fandom needs or is cliche or just should be tackled by me? Suggest it. Cuz I am really good at planning out short AUs.**

 **Please review!**


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